There's nothing good to say about the newly-released national test scores in reading and math for fourth- and eighth-graders, showing sizable declines in the vast majority of states as a result of the pandemic.
"The results ... are appalling, unacceptable, and a reminder of the impact that this pandemic has had on our learners," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said after the scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, were released Sunday.
The scores demonstrate the dangers of complacency about how our public school systems serve K-12 pupils — especially Black students and those from other vulnerable communities.
