One-third of US public school students are not meeting grade level expectations, according to data: 'At risk' our children

Nearly one-third of U.S. public schoolchildren are falling behind grade level, with even more alarming statistics for students in certain regions, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

The June 2024 School Pulse Panel surveyed students about their grade proficiency in subjects such as English, social studies, math, science, computer science, and foreign languages. According to the responses, the national average of students who were behind grade level at the end of the 2023-2024 school year was 32%, compared to 33% in June 2022.

The number of students in the Northeastern U.S. who fell behind in grade level proficiency increased from 26% to 31% in two years.

While the Midwest experienced a slight increase from 30% to 31% in the same timeframe, schools in the West had the highest number of students behind grade level, with a climb from 37% in 2022 to 39% this year.

According to Corey DeAngelis, a "school choice evangelist," the government school system primarily serves as a jobs program for adults rather than an education initiative for children, as evidenced by the data.

"The government school system is failing too many students while spending nearly $20,000 per student per year. No child should be trapped in a one-size-fits-all failure factory any longer. Instead of having the money follow the child to the school that best meets their needs, the assigned government-run schools should have a real incentive to do a better job."

In 2022, 34% of students in the South were behind grade level, but this number has decreased to 29% in the current year.

In a message to Planet Chronicle Digital, Daniel Buck, an author and educator, discussed the rise in certain regions.

"Unfortunately, the newest data confirms my expectations that our public schools are hindered by ineffective policies, bureaucratic red tape, and inadequate instructional and curricular practices. The progressive ideology and political influence of unions have prevented policymakers from implementing any significant changes beyond providing additional funding," he stated.

The sobering reality was stated by Dr. Sheri Few, president and founder of United States Parents Involved in Education.

Schools should shift their focus from woke issues to teaching math, reading, science, and history to make progress. However, parents need to understand that there is only a 35% chance their child will learn to read or do math at grade level if they attend public school, according to a few sources.

The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to pose challenges for U.S. schools, with chronic absenteeism and learning loss being some of the consequences that have led to less-than-satisfactory academic performance.

DeAngelis stated that the persistent poor outcomes in numerous government schools could be linked to chronic absenteeism.

"The kids learned from the power-hungry teachers unions who did everything they could to avoid going back to school starting in 2020. The teachers unions told everyone that school wasn't important and we're still seeing the consequences. Since 2000, the number of students in the government school system increased by about 5%. The number of teachers has increased by 10%. But the number of administrators has increased by 95%. Funding students directly with school choice will finally give the system an incentive to cater to the needs of children and their families as opposed to the other way around."

According to NCES data, 78% of schools surveyed reported concerns about absenteeism due to "minor symptoms," indicating that students missed too much school time after staying home.

Nationwide, public schools have a 90% daily attendance rate, with 69% of schools choosing incentives to improve attendance.