The latest results from statewide assessment tests in English language arts, math and science show that across subjects, grades and districts, students are still about 10 percentage points behind pre-pandemic achievement levels. In the state’s 10 largest districts – responsible for educating about 40% of Oregon’s 552,000 students – students have slipped further behind in English language arts and science.
“This isn’t normal. This is not where we want to be by any stretch of the imagination,” said Charlene Williams, director of the Oregon Department of Education, at a news conference Wednesday.
This absolutely is normal, Williams refusal to acknowledge that notwithstanding.
But Oregon is not rebounding like neighboring Washington, California and many other states, according to an analysis by researchers at Harvard and Stanford universities.
“While this reality is not unique to our state, Oregon is still struggling to catch up with its peers nationally,” said Andrea Lockard, director of assessment and student reporting for the state education department.
We can’t even catch up with our peers on the west coast. Unless Oregon kids really are dumber than those in Washington and California, we’re doing something both different and wrong. Someone employed by, say, the Oregon Department of Education, might want to research what that is.