re: Years after the adoption of Common Core, ACT scores are lowest in over a decade

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In 2011, I can tell you with certainty that schools weren't teaching the way they are now in regards to technology

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Well, I can tell you that you are dead wrong. I was in the technology dept of a very large public school system in 2011, and we had already developed policies about use of personal tech in our classrooms, and all our schools had enabled WiFi because of it

And we were behind the national curve. Because HP, Asus, iPad, Kindle and Galaxy tablets had come before that school year

Haven't read the thread, but this year is the first time I was exposed to Common Core. Who ever came up with this mess needs their arse kicked many times over. And we want to know as to why our kids are getting dumber.

Common Core fails to identify who the best potential math students are and get them into the proper classes.

They'll have a test with 4 problems, each with part A being something like "solve 24+42" and part B being "Describe in detail how you solved part A"

Part A will be worth 2 points, and Part B will be worth 10.

If you're good at math, but bad at describing things (as many young people good at math are), you're screwed. You shouldn't be punished just because your mind came up with '66' without expending actual brainpower coming up with it. In fact, that skill should be identified very quickly and advanced up the math chain.

Get these kids into the advanced math classes (they'll drag the ACT average up later), and let them develop at their own pace in English classes. Eventually, they'll be whole and probably more useful to society.

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How could we teach math better than we have been doing the last 50+ years?

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I would love to have an answer for that. However, I’m not a math teacher. I do know that states and districts should bring in experienced math teachers and let them in on the process of developing a curriculum and choosing the most effective program. I know that my district switched to Eureka math this year, and teachers and concerned parents are howling. I teach seventh grade. Last week I saw one of my student’s Eureka math workbooks on her desk, and I asked if I could look at it. I was blown away. Practically everything I looked at was completely indecipherable based on how I was taught math. What’s even worse is the method of implementation. This is the third different math program that my students have had to try to learn. If you’re going to start a completely different way of doing math, start it in first grade and work it up year by year so that students have some consistency.

This should shock no one.

The dumbing down of our educational system has been a point now for decades. Those with common sense could see this nightmare coming when it was introduced.

I could have a field day with this but I don't want to get banned.

Sad part is many people simply use school as the free day care in several states

Scores are lower in Louisiana because of measures to discourage students from dropping out and a state requirement that was enacted a few years ago that required all students to take the ACT. Students who otherwise wouldn't have been in school to take the test are bringing down the average. Or at least that's the assertion that I heard on the radio the other day. It seems to make sense, and the direct cause is more observable than your assertion.

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did really well in school, and I'm big time against lengthening the school year. More time should be spent becoming well rounded in athletics, culture, and society instead of learning how to become a machine.

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then we ask why China and Japan kick our arse in test scores

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then we ask why China and Japan kick our arse in test scores

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It has nothing to do with too little or too much time in class

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We teachers told everyone we knew that it was a bad idea. Of course, policymakers never listen to us.

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You teachers don't understand how percentages work.

More people than ever take the ACT now. The pool of people going to college is as diluted as ever. It makes perfect sense that averages and percentages would go down since the pool is diluted with worse students, students who learned a trade 20 years ago.