- The top performer on the 2009 PISA was Shanghai, China with a score of 556, while America’s 500 was largely unchanged from previous years. However, Asian-Americans came in second with a 541, and white Americans came in sixth with a score of 525. African-American’s score, on the other hand, was 441.
- 37% of 4th graders say their math work is “often” or “always” too easy. 57% of 8th graders say the same thing about history, plus 39% of 12th graders say they rarely write about what they read in class.
- Until the ’60’s, students took three years of civics. Today, they may take one semester–if that. No wonder, then, that only 28% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels on the NAEP civics exam.
- Common Core Standards will impact 42 million K-12 students and 2.7 million teachers, but 60% of registered voters say they know nothing about them; 65% of teachers say they know a lot about them.
- According to a recent Whiteboard Advisers report, 84% say student debt is a real problem for families; 59% say Obama’s Race to the Top competition was NOT a good idea.
