Lifestyle
No ‘Green Shoots’ of Academic Recovery as 2022-23 Mathematics, Reading Scores of 13-Year-Olds Decline
WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — The nation’s 13-year-olds showed the largest declines ever recorded on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) long-term trend assessment (LTT) in mathematics, according to results released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The average mathematics score for 13-year-olds declined 9 points between the 2019‒20 and 2022‒23 school years, and the average reading score declined 4 points over the same time period.
“The ‘green shoots’ of academic recovery that we had hoped to see have not materialized, as we continue to see worrisome signs about student achievement and well-being more than two years after most students returned for in-person learning,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. “There are signs of risk for a generation of learners in the data we are releasing today and have released over the past year. We are observing steep drops in achievement, troubling shifts in reading habits and other factors that affect achievement, and rising mental health challenges alongside alarming changes in school climate. The mathematics decline for 13-year-olds was the single largest decline we have observed in the past half a century. The mathematics score for the lowest-performing students has returned to levels last seen in the 1970s, and the reading score for our lowest-performing students was actually lower than it was the very first year these data were collected, in 1971.”
The data released today were collected between October and December 2022, during the 2022‒23 academic year. In mathematics, scores declined between 2019‒20 and 2022‒23 for most student groups. Scores declined for Black students, Hispanic students, American Indian/Alaska Native students, students of two or more races, and White students. Declines ranged from 6 points (for White students) to 20 points (for American Indian/Alaska Native students). Mathematics scores for Asian students were not measurably different comparing 2019‒20 and 2022‒23. Scores declined for girls as well as boys, across all regions of the country, and across all school locations. Mathematics scores for students attending Catholic schools were not measurably different comparing 2019‒20 and 2022‒23.
In reading, scores declined since 2019–20 for Black students, White students, and students of two or more races. Scores for Hispanic students, American Indian/Alaska Native students, and Asian students were not measurably different. Reading scores declined for 13-year-olds attending city, suburban, and rural schools, but were not measurably different for schools located in towns. Reading scores for students attending Catholic schools were not measurably different comparing 2019‒20 and 2022‒23.
“Prior to 2012, we had seen noticeable improvements in mathematics achievement and some improvement in reading achievement since the 1970s,” said NCES acting Associate Commissioner Dan McGrath. “Scores for 13-year-olds declined for the first time in both subjects between 2012 and 2020, beginning a downward trajectory that has lasted for more than a decade, and has not been reversed. Middle school is a critical time for students—a time when they are maturing academically as well as socially and emotionally. What happens for students in middle school can strongly influence their path through high school and beyond.”
Fewer Students ‘Reading for Fun’
“Reading for fun is strongly associated with higher achievement,” explained Commissioner Carr. “Yet fewer students, especially lower-performing students, are reading for fun compared to a decade ago. Aside from its academic effects, reading opens the mind and the heart to new ways of seeing and thinking about the world. Many of our young people will never discover latent passions or areas of interest without reading broadly on their own time.”
The percentage of 13-year-olds who said they “never or hardly ever” read for fun has risen over the past decade; about one-third (31 percent) of 13-year-olds said they “never or hardly ever” read for fun in 2023, while 22 percent said they “never or hardly ever” read for fun in 2012.
Higher-performing students were more likely to read for fun; 51 percent of 13-year-olds scoring at or above the 75th percentile on the NAEP reading assessment reported reading for fun at least once per week, while 28 percent of students scoring below the 25th percentile reported reading for fun at least once per week.
Fewer Students Taking Algebra
There have been significant shifts in mathematics coursetaking since 2012. While about one-third of 13-year-olds (34 percent) in 2012 said they were currently taking algebra, that figure has declined to 24 percent in 2023. The percentage of 13-year-olds enrolled in pre-algebra has also declined since 2012; 29 percent of 13-year-olds in 2012 said they were currently taking pre-algebra, and that has declined to 22 percent in 2023. By contrast, the percentage of 13-year-olds taking regular mathematics has risen. In 2012, 28 percent of 13-year-olds said they were currently taking regular mathematics, and that has risen to 42 percent in 2023.
The data suggests this drop in algebra coursetaking is driven by the West region. In 2012, 51 percent of 13-year-olds in the West were currently enrolled in algebra; that has declined to 19 percent in 2023. There were no other measurable differences across the other regions.
Results by Subject
Mathematics
- The average mathematics score (271) for 13-year-old students was 9 points lower in 2023 than in 2020 and 14 points lower than in 2012 but was 5 points higher than in 1973.
- Mathematics scores declined between 2020 and 2023 across the performance distribution, with declines for students at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles. There were greater declines for lower-performing students (students at the 10th and 25th percentiles) than their higher-performing peers at the 75th and 90th percentiles.
- The score declined 14 points for students at the 10th percentile, from 228 in 2020 to 213 in 2023.
- The score declined 12 points for students at the 25th percentile, from 255 in 2020 to 244 in 2023.
- The score declined 8 points for students at the 50th percentile, from 282 in 2020 to 274 in 2023.
- The score declined 6 points for students at the 75th percentile, from 307 in 2020 to 301 in 2023.
- The score declined 6 points for students at the 90th percentile, from 329 in 2020 to 322 in 2023.
- The mathematics score for students at the 10th percentile in 2023 (213) was not significantly different compared to the score for students at the 10th percentile in 1978 (213).
- Mathematics scores declined between 2019‒20 and 2022‒23 for most student groups. Scores declined by 13 points for Black students (from 256 to 243), declined by 10 points for Hispanic students (from 267 to 257), declined by 20 points for American Indian/Alaska Native students (from 275 to 255), declined by 8 points for students of two or more (from 285 to 277), and declined by 6 points for White students (from 291 to 285).
- The mathematics scores also declined for both male and female students, for students attending schools in all school locations, and for students from all regions of the country.
- Enrollment in algebra has declined since 2012 among 13-year-olds overall.
Reading
- The average reading score (256) for 13-year-old students was 4 points lower in 2023 than in 2020 and seven points lower than in 2020 and was not significantly different from the average score in 1971 (255).
- Reading scores declined between 2020 and 2023 across the performance distribution, with declines for students at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles.
- The score declined 7 points for students at the 10th percentile, from 209 in 2020 to 202 in 2023.
- The score declined 6 points for students at the 25th percentile, from 236 in 2020 to 231 in 2023.
- The score declined 4 points for students at the 50th percentile, from 262 in 2020 to 258 in 2023.
- The score declined 4 points for students at the 75th percentile, from 287 in 2020 to 283 in 2023.
- The score declined 3 points for students at the 90th percentile, from 308 in 2020 to 305 in 2023.
- The reading score for students at the 10th percentile in 2023 (202) was lower than the reading score for students at the 10th percentile in 1971 (208). The score for students at the 25th percentile in 2023 (231) was not significantly different from the score for students at the 25th percentile in 1971 (232). The score for students at the 50th percentile in 2023 (258) was not significantly different from the score for students at the 50th percentile in 1971 (257).
- Scores for Black students declined 7 points (from 244 in 2020 to 237 in 2023); declined by 8 points for students of two or more races (from 265 to 257); and declined by 4 points for White students (from 269 to 264). Scores for Hispanic students, American Indian/Alaska Native students, and Asian students were not measurably different.
- Students who reported reading for fun more often tended to score higher, but a rising percentage of 13-year-olds say that they “never or hardly ever” read for fun.
How Results Are Reported
Student performance on the LTT assessments is reported in several ways: scale scores, percentile scores, performance levels, student group scores, and score gaps.
Scale scores represent the average performance of students on a scale of 0 to 500. Scores are reported at the national level and for groups of students based on race/ethnicity, gender, and other demographic characteristics.
About the Assessment
Since the 1970s, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has monitored student performance in reading and mathematics through the long-term trend (LTT) assessments. The LTT assessments are age-based, rather than grade-based, and assess 9-year-old, 13-year-old, and 17-year-old students.
The LTT assessments measure basic reading and mathematics skills to gauge how the performance of U.S. students has changed over time. At age 13, reading was first assessed in 1971 and mathematics was first assessed in 1973. The LTT reading assessment asks students to read short texts and answer mostly multiple-choice questions, though there are a few questions requiring written responses. For mathematics, students answer mostly multiple-choice questions related to basic math facts, computations, formulas, and real-life applications. Survey questionnaires, which are administered to students, teachers, and school administrators who participate in an LTT assessment, are used to collect and report contextual information about students’ learning experience in and out of the classroom.
The 2023 long-term trend assessment for 13-year-olds was administered between October and December of 2022, during the 2022–23 academic year. The assessment schedule was amended so that NCES could collect, analyze, and report data on 13-year-old students during the 2022–23 school year to report a snapshot of how student achievement has changed since immediately before the onset of the COVID-19 global health emergency.
Visit https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ to view the report.
The National Center for Education Statistics, a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. Founded in 1867, NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally authorized project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics, within the Institute of Education Sciences, administers NAEP. The commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics is responsible by law for carrying out the NAEP project. Policy for the NAEP program is set by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), an independent, bipartisan board whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and members of the general public. Since 1990, NAGB has been developing achievement levels, which are being used on a trial basis.
SOURCE National Center for Education Statistics
Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.
Author
Discover more from Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Lifestyle
Philly Whole Foods store becomes first to unionize – a labor expert explains what’s next and how Trump could stall workers’ efforts
Whole Foods workers at the Philadelphia flagship store in the city’s Art Museum area voted to unionize on Jan. 27, 2025. They are the first store in the Amazon-owned grocery chain to do so.
Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State University, talked to Kate Kilpatrick, The Conversation U.S. Philadelphia editor, about why this is happening – and why in Philly.
The Whole Foods workers in Philadelphia voted 130-100 in favor of unionizing. What do we know about their grievances?
From what I understand, these workers have felt that compensation, benefits and work conditions were not what they should be. Some are long-standing employees and say they struggle to afford their basic necessities.
Why did the union drive effort succeed now, and in Philly?
In the last five years, there has been a surge in union organizing. There are a number of reasons for this. First is the labor market. Low unemployment emboldens workers to take the risk of organizing a union. If workers feel their employer can’t replace them or that they can easily get a similar job, they are less fearful of angering the employer by trying to organize.
The second reason is that the Biden administration was a labor-friendly administration – perhaps the most in history. The U.S. president appoints a majority of members to the National Labor Relations Board, which interprets and enforces the labor law that governs organizing. Under Biden, the NLRB regularly issued decisions that provided greater protection to workers and held employers accountable when they violated workers’ rights. During Republican administrations, the board’s decisions are generally pro-business and provide less protection to workers. So workers had the wind at their back in that regard.
Also recent polling shows that 70% of Americans approve of unions, compared with less than half of Americans just 15 years ago. The generally favorable view of unions creates a more supportive environment for organizing.
And the last factor is that Generation Z, the youngest group of workers, clearly wants more out of their work and employment than previous generations. So we see a lot of young workers across the country organizing at Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Apple and now at Whole Foods and other stores.
Why Philadelphia? Philadelphia is a relatively strong union town. The percentage of the workforce that is represented by a union is higher in Philadelphia than in most cities and areas of the country. So when workers express interest in organizing in Philadelphia they get a lot of support. Other unions might turn out members for their rallies, pressure the company to not oppose the organizing drive and offer other aid and assistance.
The starting wage at the Philadelphia Whole Foods store is US$16 an hour. Is that considered low when the city’s minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour?
The minimum wage in Philadelphia is $7.25 because that is the federal minimum wage. States can institute a higher minimum wage if they choose to, but Pennsylvania is one of the few Northeast states that hasn’t adopted a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. The minimum wages in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, for example, are $15 or above.
But the minimum wage in Pennsylvania is almost irrelevant because of today’s labor market. Unemployment is low, and many employers have to offer significantly more than the minimum wage to get workers.
And the minimum wage is supposed to be a starting wage for workers with little experience or seniority. What workers want is a living wage. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single person in Philadelphia needs to earn around $24 per hour to cover the basic costs of living. And Whole Foods is a profitable business. It’s part of Amazon, one of the most profitable, largest companies in the world. I think workers at these companies believe that they play an important role in generating those profits because of the work they do. And they think they should get a fair share of those profits.
How might the Whole Foods workers expect the company to fight back?
When employees win an organizing election as the Whole Food workers have, they have won a battle but not the war. The purpose of forming a union is to improve wages and benefits and working conditions, and you do that by negotiating a contract with the company. That is the next step in the process. But the law only requires employers to bargain with employees – to meet at reasonable times and exchange proposals. It doesn’t compel them to agree to anything.
The typical strategy of companies that aggressively oppose their workers having a union is to drag their feet in bargaining and not sign a contract. That is technically illegal, but labor law in the U.S. is relatively weak, and with good legal advice you can drag out bargaining for a very long time.
We’ve seen this with the Starbucks campaign. The first Starbucks store unionized in 2021. Over 540 stores have organized since then. And Starbucks workers at those stores still do not have a contract.
Could the new Trump administration have any impact on how this plays out in Philly?
The fact that the Trump administration has taken over gives companies more confidence that the standard delay strategy will work.
On Jan. 28, 2025, President Donald Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo, the general counsel of the NLRB. The general counsel is the official at the board who basically enforces the National Labor Relations Act. Abruzzo was very aggressive in holding employers accountable if they violated the act and in protecting the rights of workers who tried to organize.
Trump’s approach to labor law in his first four years in office was at the other extreme. He appointed as general counsel Peter Robb, who was seen as far less aggressive in protecting workers’ rights and his interpretations of the law were much more pro-business.
Under the Biden administration, if a company was coming to the bargaining table month after month and not agreeing to anything, the NLRB would eventually step in and cite the employer for not bargaining in good faith. The NLRB could find the employer guilty of unfair labor practices and genuinely put pressure on it to bargain a contract.
Based on the board’s actions during the first Trump administration, the board in the next few years will be more likely to allow companies to delay and delay in reaching a contract.
What leverage do the Whole Foods employees have?
They can go on strike. But Amazon has the resources to put up with a strike at one Whole Foods store forever.
Other Whole Foods stores may be considering union drives. The more stores that organize, the more momentum the Philadelphia store will have. But for now, these workers in Philly are going to have their work cut out for them.
That said, they won’t be alone. The Whole Foods workers organized with the UFCW Local 1776, which is basically a statewide union that’s been around for decades. It has a lot of resources and experienced and knowledgeable leaders, plus the resources of the national UFCW. So it’s going to lean into this fight, and these workers will also have a lot of support from the rest of the labor community in Philadelphia.
Earlier this month, three Congressional representatives from Pennsylvania wrote a letter to Jason Buechel, the Whole Foods CEO, and to Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, that expressed their concerns about efforts to suppress the union drive. Is that support typical?
It’s not unusual. But there is no legal basis for elected officials to intervene in a labor-management dispute. I’d put that under the heading of community support.
You have a lot of progressive elected officials in Philadelphia who are supportive of unions, and that’s true in Pennsylvania right up to the governor.
Paul F. Clark, Professor of Labor and Employment Relations, Penn State
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Discover more from Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Lifestyle
AMERICAN GREETINGS JOINS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY IN ENCOURAGING LOVED ONES TO GET CANCER SCREENINGS
American Greetings and the American Cancer Society launch customizable digital greeting cards to promote cancer screenings, emphasizing early detection and personal connections in health discussions.
New digital greeting card collaboration launches to encourage friends and family to prioritize their health
CLEVELAND /PRNewswire/ — American Greetings and the American Cancer Society are collaborating on a collection of customizable digital greeting cards designed to encourage loved ones to seek out life-saving cancer screenings. The all-new Creatacard™ greetings feature a range of heartfelt messages in both English and Spanish and aim to promote the importance of early detection. Senders can add personal touches by customizing the designs with photos or video, a personalized message, digital envelope liner and stamp, and more.
“Having conversations with your loved ones about serious topics like cancer can be difficult, but discussions like this can save lives,” said Rob Matousek, Executive Director, Direct to Consumer Business at American Greetings. “We are proud to work with the American Cancer Society on this collection of digital greeting cards that give people a new, easy, and thoughtful way to encourage family and friends to seek cancer screenings. Together, we can make a difference.”
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, and over 2 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2024. Regular screening can find cancer before symptoms appear and keep a person informed about the state of their health. To learn more about screening recommendations and resources, visit cancer.org/getscreened.
“Early detection is a key factor in changing cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer at the American Cancer Society. “The American Cancer Society is working with multiple organizations to deliver that message and remove barriers to cancer screening. We appreciate American Greetings using its platform to help spread this message and we encourage everyone to use these cards to save lives.”
The new cards with the American Cancer Society add to American Greetings portfolio of digital greetings related to health and wellness topics, which include the recently released Creatacards™ with singer and songwriter Jelly Roll that focus on mental health, as well as offerings released with the Cleveland Clinic around the topics of heart health, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer research.
Creatacard™ greetings are available on www.americangreetings.com, www.bluemountain.com, and on the Creatacard™ offerings, American Greetings and Blue Mountain ecard apps for iPhone and Android. They can be shared via email, text, or on social media. Users can sign up for a monthly, yearly, or two-year American Greetings account to have the ability to send an unlimited number of Creatacard™ greetings —as well as all American Greetings digital offerings—over the course of their membership period. Membership costs range from $6.99-$39.99, depending on the length of membership. For the latest news from Creatacard™ offerings, follow @americangreetingsdigital on Instagram and @americangreetingsdigital on Facebook.
ABOUT AMERICAN GREETINGS:
American Greetings is a global leader in the large and enduring Celebrations marketplace. The company helps people celebrate holidays, each other, and all of life’s special moments, in-person and online, guided by a mission to “make the world a more thoughtful and caring place every single day.” American Greetings offers products wherever and however people wish to purchase them – online, in-store, or curbside pickup. Celebrations happen throughout the year, driven by traditional holidays, key milestone moments such as weddings, baby showers and graduations, as well as recurring everyday events such as birthdays and anniversaries. The company’s brands include American Greetings, Papyrus, Carlton Cards, and Recycled Paper Greetings. Its digital business unit, AG Interactive, is a leading provider of digital greetings and premium Celebrations content through proprietary technology platforms and apps. Its popular digital brands include American Greetings, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson, SmashUps™, and Creatacard™. For more information, visit corporate.americangreetings.com and follow us @AmericanGreetings on Facebook and @amgreetings on Instagram.
SOURCE American Greetings
Author
Discover more from Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
(Family Features) If you’re thinking about making a career change, re-evaluating your long-term career path or looking for a career with purpose, there is one path you may not have considered – and it might be the perfect fit: funeral service.
Consider this: Funeral service is facing a critical shortage of skilled professionals in the next decade due to retiring funeral home owners and rising death rates. In fact, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) estimates 5,700 openings for funeral service workers during each of the next 10 years.
In a world where Gen Zers said having a sense of purpose is important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being, according to a study by Deloitte, there’s an opportunity for business-minded individuals, young professionals and those seeking second career paths to explore this distinguished and fulfilling profession. While 1 in 10 (12%) adults would consider a career as a funeral director, Gen Zers (44%) and Millennials (38%) admit they do not know enough about the profession based on a survey by the NFDA.
There are several reasons to consider funeral service as a career, whether you’re a new grad, a young professional looking to get your foot in the door or someone with years of experience who’d like to test your transferable skills in a new career.
1. Fulfillment and Purpose
Funerals and memorial services are an important part of the grieving process and an opportunity for family and friends to gather to comfort one another and say goodbye to their loved one.
Funeral directors are not just in charge of logistics. They play a vital role in helping families navigate one of the most challenging times in their lives. They provide emotional support, guide families through funeral arrangements and ensure the service honors the deceased’s life.
2. Community Involvement
Funeral directors are often deeply involved in the communities they serve, volunteering with local nonprofit and community organizations, sponsoring little league teams and organizing collections for troops overseas. This sense of community extends beyond the immediate responsibilities of the job, as many funeral directors take on the role of mentors and leaders, guiding the next generation of professionals.
“As I look ahead to the next 15 years of my career and beyond, I ask myself one question and encourage others to do the same, no matter what career they are in: Are you doing the work to inspire a new generation of leaders and being the person you needed when you first started out?” said Allyse Worland, CFSP, licensed funeral director. “For me, the answer is always yes, and I am excited to see what the future holds.”
3. Ability to Own a Business
A career in funeral service offers the opportunity to own your own funeral home. With experience and business skills, you can manage and grow a company that provides essential services to your community. It’s a unique blend of compassion and entrepreneurship, allowing you to make a meaningful impact while running a successful business.
If you’re looking for a meaningful career that combines purpose, community and the opportunity for growth, funeral service might be the path for you. With the occupation’s demand for skilled professionals on the rise, now is the time to consider how you can make a difference in the lives of others while shaping the future of a growing profession.
Learn more about the career path and take a quiz to determine whether it’s right for you by visiting rememberingalife.com/careers.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
National Funeral Directors Association
Discover more from Daily News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
Urbanism1 year agoSignal Hill, California: A Historic Enclave Surrounded by Long Beach
-
News2 years agoDiana Gregory Talks to us about Diana Gregory’s Outreach Services
-
Senior Pickleball Report2 years agoThe Absolute Most Comfortable Pickleball Shoe I’ve Ever Worn!
-
STM Blog2 years agoWorld Naked Gardening Day: Celebrating Body Acceptance and Nature
-
Senior Pickleball Report2 years agoACE PICKLEBALL CLUB TO DEBUT THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED INDOOR PICKLEBALL FRANCHISES IN THE US, IN EARLY 2023
-
Travel2 years agoUnique Experiences at the CitizenM
-
Automotive2 years ago2023 Nissan Sentra pricing starts at $19,950
-
Senior Pickleball Report2 years ago“THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS OF PICKLEBALL” – VOTING OPEN