Darn Scary Educational Report

[Toby'sFriend]

I won't copy the whole thing, but the link is here:

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/nation/16765887.htm

The part that really jumps out at me. One in Four proficient in math, barely 1/3 can read at grade level --- yet nearly every kid and their dog are racking up the infamous "AP Credits" and are taking "Honors" and "Gifted" classes.

Talking to people I know in Eduction at both the High School and College Level, as well as people who employ these kids coming out of High School and College, I feel that this report is dead on accurate.

btw, I don't feel this is a failure of our youth at all. I think this is a failure of MY generation, who has done a terrible job of raising and educating the next generation.

Nationwide, just 1 in 4 high school seniors tested in 2005 ranked proficient in math and barely a third read at grade level, the reports show. Reading scores are the lowest since 1992, with students in the Western United States performing worse than those in the Midwest and Northeast.

Despite the decline in achievement, students take the equivalent of 360 more hours of class than seniors who graduated in 1990.

"How is it that our high school students can earn more credits, get higher GPAs, but yet not perform any better?" said David Gordon, member of the National Assessment Governing Board and Sacramento County schools superintendent. During a Thursday press conference, Gordon termed the problem a "rigor gap."