[dewilson58]

...

[ehonour]

Originally Posted by Pmelo

Public School Rankings by State 2024

This survey (not the one originally cited by OP) provides part of the answer to the OP's original question, when you read the criteria for evaluation:

"WalletHub ranked each state's public schools for "Quality" and "Safety" using 33 relevant metrics. Metrics included high school graduation rate among low-income students, math and reading scores, median SAT and ACT scores, pupil-teach ratio, the share of armed students, the number of school shootings between 2000 and June 2020, bullying incidence rate, and more"

Some of these factors are good measures. Many others are NOT what I would consider to be measures of a "good school." They are factors brought in by the PC crowd with the intent of social engineering. It can even be reasonably argued that lack of safety in schools is a direct result of the PC attitudes, as others have noted above. And unfortunately, it is those same factors, used as measures of "learning," that have de-emphasized the core purposes of reading, writing, and arithmetic.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Johnsocat

Yeah, the kids are filling reading, writing and arithmetic because they banned all the sexually graphic books from school libraries...
Makes sense to me now...

Not jus kids

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

The good news: FL is the second best in the nation. Bad news: The entire country has failing schools.

Why is this such a problem? Why are today's youth unable to read or do math at grade level? I know Covid caused a setback, but this was going on prior, and continues after.

Blame Parents Not Teachers.
The Covid shutdown is a sad excuse. Parents were home with their kids for months and could have been sitting down with them and reading to them and helping them read, one on one. Too many parents think it’s up to the teachers to teach, but really parents should be the primary teachers of their children. Reading to children for an hour or more every day from when they are about one leads to their eagerness to learn to read on their own. Shows like Sesame Street can teach a lot but don’t make up for parents reading aloud.

This isn’t a matter of money. There are lots of public libraries. There are books sales with books going for a dollar. The failure to read to children is found in prosperous homes as well as impoverished homes. It requires dedication of time by parents.

Later, it’s important to give kids time and incentive to read. Lots of kids spend so much time playing sports or hanging out with friends or texting or watching cute things on their phones that they don’t have time to read books.

I taught College English for about forty years. In most cases, the students who started class reading well were the ones whose parents helped them develop a habit of reading. Every time I surveyed the students, I discovered that about 10% of my college freshmen had never read an entire book outside of class assignments. Those were the students most likely to drop out. But I discovered that if I assigned exciting books, I could get them hooked on reading. So I gave up teaching Medieval Literature and started teaching Detective Fiction and The Thriller and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction and things like that to freshmen who needed a literature credit. It worked. But how much better for them if their parents had guided them.

[Johnsocat]

[QUOTE=manaboutown;2371793]I just noticed (no surprise), that New Mexico at 21% had the lowest reading competency of all 50 states. Last I read only about 65% of children there graduate high school. I am saddened because it is my home state as I grew up there. I also still own and operate a business in NM so am firsthand all too familiar with the illiteracy and terrible crime rate.[/QUOTE]

Do you think the influx of immigrants in the New Mexico schools who are testing and graduating are included in the statistics may be part of the reason New Mexico's numbers are so low?
Not being sarcastic or xenophobic, just wondering if that may be a factor...

[KSSunshine]

NAEP is administered at various points along a child's educational career. This is not a survey as another commenter proposed, but an actual assessment. This particular map focused on 4th grade reading comprehension. Reading is required for professional and non-professional work that pays a sustainable life. After many years working in education, parental involvement communicating the value of education is the most component of a child's successful education. While economics do factor in, a parent who provides support for education in the home, regardless of income, second-language, or parental education, demonstrates the importance of education to their child(ren) which in turn messages the child that this is their primary job...to do well in school, both academically and behaviorally. The NAEP is a snapshot along a child's educational career that informs the district, state and nation's educational health as well as identifies weaknesses that need to be addressed. It is also available for other subject content which is available on the NAEP website. If you are concerned about the nation's educational health, it's worth reading.

[bp243]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Book banning, de-emphasis on quality public education and shifted emphasis to "school choice," which means poorer schools get even less funding. Lower teaching standards with more paperwork for teachers which results in higher turnover rate, burnout, and shortages. Higher costs for teachers to get educated and quality to BE teachers - but their pay doesn't cover the loans, so fewer people are actually becoming teachers even if they have the degree for it. Parents choosing not to emphasize the importance of a high school diploma, communities choosing to prep kids for things like agriculture, technology, and plumbing and not for the sciences and humanities (why should they need to learn how to read and write English, if they're going to spend the rest of their lives fixing toilets, networking computers, or landscaping?) I personally blame Texas Instruments for the math failures. Kids don't have to know how to do mathematics. Their computers do all the work for them.

Lots of well-articulated answers here!

[HORNET]

Educated Dummies leading the School Systems

[villager7591]

Parents want school choice because they don't agree with what teachers are teaching...IMHO

[bruce213]

The problem begins at home. Teachers only have so much time to teach. If that time is spent parenting, disciplining, and dealing with disruptive kids there is little time to teach.
Parents need to support the teachers, make the kids complete homework, and teach them to behave nothing will change.

[bp243]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

The good news: FL is the second best in the nation. Bad news: The entire country has failing schools.

Why is this such a problem? Why are today's youth unable to read or do math at grade level? I know Covid caused a setback, but this was going on prior, and continues after.

As of May 7, 2024, U.S. News and World Report, Florida is ranked #1 in the nation for education. The ranking is based on a combination of strong performance in higher education and K-12 metrics.
As a retired educator, I’m interested to know how educators/schools are preparing their students for the real world. In other words, are students ready to use their potential to make the world a better place? Are students giving back more than they’re taking from the government? Also, are students sharing their talents in a kind and supportive way? Education to prepare you for life is so much more than test scores.

[phylt]

I may have missed something along the way here. What the Hxll is 'book banning'?

I am 100% for school choice, charter schools, and diminish the power of teacher unions. The USA pay SO much to 'support' public schools, with horrible results.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Johnsocat

Yeah, the kids are failling reading, writing and arithmetic because they banned all the sexually graphic books from school libraries...
Makes sense to me now...

Third time is the charm.

Damn schools.

[TheWarriors]

Originally Posted by CybrSage

In your rush to be offended, you chose to miss the point.

He was asking if those who know English as their second language, having only just started to learn it, are included in the reading test scores.

Are you still choosing to be offended over nothing after reading that?

It is a good question, especially in border states where a large minority of students are just starting to learn English in 3rd grade and up. This will lower the test scores, obviously, when included with those born into English speaking families. It will make English abilities in border states worse than those far away from the border.

My thought is they do take that into consideration. I do not know for sure but it is certainly a valid question and not offensive to anyone who is not seeking to be offended.

Next time you make up a story in your head, choose to make up a good one rather than assume the worst of others. Being offended on purpose is foolish.

Why is it called English as a Second language? How about English as your PRIMARY language! Assimilate or we are done. Diversity is overplayed, COMMONALITY IS OUR STRENGTH.

[NotGolfer]

I graduated in the early 60's....my other 1/2 went to college and came out an educator. Back when we went to school we had less hours and also by h.s. accerlerated classes. By the time my other 1/2 was teaching the unions were heavily involved. I worked in a school system and was appalled by what I was observing (it was in the late 80's). Teachers were constatly getting a substitute because they had conferences to attend. Consistency in the classroom seemed almost non-existant. Students were being "taught" to sight-read. I didn't understand the concept as there were ones who were struggling with it. Now students aren't taught cursive or phonetics....I could go on but then I'd probably get kicked off this forum. My belief is that the whole system needs a re-haul.