By james art 
Every two years, Americans receive a photo of the health of schools in the country. The advocates of education hoped that the results of 2024 would show a promising rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic. But the most results issued on Wednesday, instead show a sobering reality, as reading and mathematics skills continue to decrease throughout the country.
“The Nation’s Report Card” again shows that schools in the country continue to fall out, with the Pacific northwest largely following the costume. Both in Oregon and in Washington, the results fell on three of four tests against the background of a National down A tendency for national assessment of educational progress or NAEP, tests.
NAEP tests are different from the state assessments required by the federal government for accountability purposes. State tests rely on the participation of as many students as possible, but their results are difficult to compare in the state lines. NAEP is a common test that evaluates the effectiveness of a representative sample of students in each country as a national comparison. NAEP has four exams that are the most observed: reading and mathematics, at fourth and eighth grade level.
The advocates of education hoped that after rough results in 2022, largely accused of distance learning and other destruction in the briefing, there would be a post-fill twin. But this is not shown the results of 2024.
Reading results were flat or down throughout the country, without any country showing an increase in the level of fourth or eighth grade. The mathematical results were less equally bad.
Oregon’s mediocre results are worsening
Of the four main measures, Oregon’s results decreased in all but one.
The largest decline was in the fourth grade reading, which fell three points below 2022. The results for reading fourth grade in Oregon were seven points below the average for the country, and continued the discrepancy dating to almost two decades.
Both reading and mathematical results for Oregon’s eighth graders fell with two points. The eighth grade mathematics decrease continues the five -year trend of Oregon, which is presented below the national average. When reading, the trend below dates from the pandemic.
One bright place was in the fourth grade mathematics, which rose only one point. But NAEP’s estimates show that Oregon’s fourth graders remain below the country’s average, as evaluated for nearly 20 years.
Tendency similar, results better in Washington
While Washington’s recent trend – more fall than the growing test results – is the same as that of Oregon, its overall results are better than Oregon’s four -major NAEP exams.
The biggest discrepancy is in reading fourth grade, with Washington’s average score of nine points over Oregon. While Oregon is below the average for each of the tests, Washington is above.
Like Oregon, the nation as a whole, schools in Washington did not show the type of rebound that the defenders hoped to see after the pandemic.
But government school employees applaud the results of the state.
“I am proud that our students continue to excel a lot of their peers across the country,” said Washington State Washington, Chris Reakedal. “However, overall results for the nation and Washington are not good enough.”
Not just for the costs
Stagnant results come despite investments that are ahead of inflation in many states, including Oregon and Washington, according to an analysis of an educational cerebral trust based at the University of Georgetown. The analysis of the Edunomics laboratory shows that Oregon costs have increased by 80% since 2013, while reading and mathematics results have dropped. School expenses in Washington have increased even more – by 110%, according to Edunomics lab – while test results have declined over the last decade.
The news of “returning investment” was not equally bad throughout the country. In a handful of countries such as Louisiana and Mississippi, the modest increases in costs have led to improvements in achievements between 2022 and 2024. However, even in several conditions in which the results recently improved, they are still largely under the results in 2013 .
The ongoing performance of schools in the country is a reason for concern, according to a statement by the Board of Directors for evaluation of the US Department of Education.
“Learning academic achievements are a cornerstone of national success and security. This makes the lack of academic progress today a direct and urgent threat to our collective future, “a member of the Board of Directors Patrick Kelly said in a statement.