ACT scores fall to lowest in 31 years (SAT, college, degree)

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by cheapdad00

My children are past this stage, but I think a lot of this rote learning is now discouraged with common core and "new math" techniques. I know there were certain ways they tried to teach my kids to factor algebraic equations, which while I'm sure they make sense on some levels, were completely backwards to me. I was taught to manipulate the various factors of the constants in order to factor which was easy to do because of all the time spent drilling on multiplication/division tables.

All of that new math gets tossed out the window as soon as the kids advance to a higher math level. The trick is getting them past that new math crappola. Once you do that, it's back to regular math...or they use a calculator.

They should be learning their math facts.

[_redbird_]

Originally Posted by perennial millennial

What is the cause? Can it be fixed?

Kids staring at their cell phones all day? I took a few graduate courses after I retired and it was pretty funny to sit in class and look around and see all the students staring at their cell phones.

We used to actually talk to each other before class. That's my old man coming out! LOL

[InformedConsent]

Originally Posted by redguard57

https://www.axios.com/2022/10/12/act...niors-covid-19

The pandemic closures caused a MESS.

This is the first cohort that had 2 whole years disrupted by Covid. I expect this is going to get worse before it gets better.

It's not just the pandemic. Scores were declining before that.

"This is the fifth consecutive year of declines in average scores, a worrisome trend that began long before the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted," said ACT CEO Janet Godwin.

"The magnitude of the declines this year is particularly alarming, as we see rapidly growing numbers of seniors leaving high school without meeting the college-readiness benchmark in any of the subjects we measure," she said. "These declines are not simply a by-product of the pandemic. They are further evidence of longtime systemic failures that were exacerbated by the pandemic. A return to the pre-pandemic status quo would be insufficient and a disservice to students and educators."

https://www.insidehighered.com/admis...at-scores-fall

Welcome to an America intentionally dumbed-down by educators whose goal in dumbing everyone down was equal educational outcomes which they then thought would result in more socioeconomic equality and greater social cohesion. Of course, neither has happened. All we got from this idiotic attempt at social engineering in our country's K-12 education system is a severely dumbed-down populace.

[RamenAddict]

Originally Posted by InformedConsent

It's not just the pandemic. Scores were declining before that.

https://www.insidehighered.com/admis...at-scores-fall

Welcome to an America intentionally dumbed-down by educators whose goal in dumbing everyone down was equal educational outcomes which they then thought would result in more socioeconomic equality and greater social cohesion. Of course, neither has happened. All we got from this idiotic attempt at social engineering in our country's K-12 education system is a severely dumbed-down populace.

I think it’s also important to note that the number of students actually taking these tests have dramatically decreased. There are colleges that are no longer requiring it, and I think during the past few years, some students have just decided to forego college entirely or take some gap time until they are more sure they can get what they pay for.

[InformedConsent]

Originally Posted by RamenAddict

I think it’s also important to note that the number of students actually taking these tests have dramatically decreased. There are colleges that are no longer requiring it, and I think during the past few years, some students have just decided to forego college entirely or take some gap time until they are more sure they can get what they pay for.

None of that has anything to do with what is causing the scores to fall since way before the pandemic.

[perennial millennial]

Originally Posted by _redbird_

Kids staring at their cell phones all day? I took a few graduate courses after I retired and it was pretty funny to sit in class and look around and see all the students staring at their cell phones.

We used to actually talk to each other before class. That's my old man coming out! LOL

I'm 32 and feel like an "old man" :/

[RamenAddict]

Originally Posted by InformedConsent

None of that has anything to do with what is causing the scores to fall since way before the pandemic.

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=897 - here are the facts. It isn’t like the score drops were precipitous. I think that it has also been offered digitally for some students since 2019. The numbers don’t indicate what percentage of students take it online. I found for me there was a big speed difference between the online GRE and paper tests I did. It is a bit concerning that the ACT is not all or nothing though.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by RamenAddict

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=897 - here are the facts. It isn’t like the score drops were precipitous. I think that it has also been offered digitally for some students since 2019. The numbers don’t indicate what percentage of students take it online. I found for me there was a big speed difference between the online GRE and paper tests I did. It is a bit concerning that the ACT is not all or nothing though.

Just a point the '21 to '22 drop was massive.


ETA - checked to be sure '21-'22 saw a full 1/2pt drop.

[RamenAddict]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Just a point the '21 to '22 drop was massive.


ETA - check to be sure '21-'22 saw a full 1/2pt drop.

I am not disputing the drop since after the pandemic, but that poster was pointing to some precipitous drop before. It wasn’t really that precipitous.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by _redbird_

Kids staring at their cell phones all day? I took a few graduate courses after I retired and it was pretty funny to sit in class and look around and see all the students staring at their cell phones.

We used to actually talk to each other before class. That's my old man coming out! LOL

You might be on to something there. As the article in orginal post mentioned, and I will quote below, this trend started several years before Covid.

One local HS science teacher requires students to turn in their cellphones during class time. I'm all in favor of that.

I helped proctor the PSAT test yesterday. It was a good turnout, but many kids "finished" the last portion, math calculator section, well before the 45 minutes alloted had expired. Obviously, they didn't know how to do many of the problems.

"..The big picture: ACT test scores have been on the decline for at least five years, Godwin said, adding that it is "a worrisome trend that began long before the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has persisted."

"These declines are not simply a byproduct of the pandemic. They are further evidence of longtime systemic failures that were exacerbated by the pandemic."
The number of students taking the ACT has declined 30% since 2018, AP reports..."