Parents 'outraged' over lower test scores scramble to find learning solutions
National data shows five-point drop in reading for 9-year-olds, the biggest since 1990, as well as first decline in math testing scores
Parents 'outraged' after national test scores drop between 2020-22
FOX Business' Kelly O'Grady speaks to National Parents Union members about solutions to bridge the remote learning gap.
After the nation’s report card showed historic declines in school testing scores between 2020 and 2022, parents are speaking out and working to find education solutions for their children as more data is released regarding the pandemic’s impact on student learning gaps.
"The day the scores came out for us, and everybody was, 'Oh, my God, so surprised.' We were not surprised. We were outraged," National Parents Union co-founder and president Keri Rodrigues told FOX Business’ Kelly O’Grady in an interview on "Varney & Co." Tuesday.
"We cannot trust that they are going to do the right thing," Rodrigues continued. "We need transparency and accountability. We need to be a part of the conversation."
A report on the nation's plummeting test scores was published by the Department of Education last Thursday, showing dramatic learning losses across the board for students in the U.S.
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"Average scores for age 9 students in 2022 declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics compared to 2020," the DOE claimed. "This is the largest average score decline in reading since 1990, and the first ever score decline in mathematics."
Parents expressed feeling "outraged" after learning about the national decline in reading and math testing scores on "Varney & Co." Tuesday, September 6, 2022. (Getty Images)
Reading scores saw their largest decrease in 30 years, while math scores had their first decrease in the history of the testing regimen done by the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the federal government.
The White House has touted its $122 billion in school aid from the American Rescue Plan, though it’s nearly impossible to track where pandemic funding has gone due to catch-all categories, O’Grady mentioned in her report.
While the Rescue Plan required that 20% of a state's aid went towards addressing student learning losses, parents remain skeptical that no specific amount of money can help their children catch up.
"What we hope moving forward is that we figure out ways to creatively give kids more time learning," National Parents Union senior director of policy Ariel Taylor Smith told O’Grady Tuesday.
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Math, reading scores plummet post school closures
'Kennedy' panelists Brian Brenberg, Charles McBee and Alli Breen discuss the impact school closures during COVID-19 had on students' education as math and reading scores reached a new low in decades.
According to Smith, more time is the answer for many parents and their students.
"That might be adding a 13th year of school," the policy expert noted. "That might be adding a month at the beginning of school, or the end of school, for an extended school year."
Fox News’ Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.