The Latest Indication That Something’s Up With Education

According to the latest OECD Survey of Adult Skills, American adults as a group have gotten less proficient in both reading and math. (The Economist)

The numbers: Over a decade, the percentage of Americans who read at a fifth-grade level or lower has increased from 18% to 27%.

• When it comes to math, the share of Americans scoring at low proficiency levels has grown from 28% to 34%.

• Meanwhile, the share of Americans scoring at high proficiency levels in numeracy and literacy has mostly remained unchanged.

Zoom out: The U.S. generally performs worse than its fellow OECD nations, which are all relatively rich and developed countries.

• Average scores in literacy have declined in the majority of countries over the past decade, despite adults having higher educational qualifications.

• 1 in 5 adults in OECD countries have math and reading skills equivalent to those of primary school children.

Bubba’s Two Cents

Earlier this month, we brought you news of how U.S. fourth graders' math scores dropped 18 points on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study assessment. We’ve repeatedly talked about how Americans’ confidence in higher education and the public school system has declined greatly, as well as the surge in alternative forms of education like homeschooling and private schools. We throw the word “crisis” around to talk about the border or fentanyl, but, for some reason, we don’t describe U.S. education this way. Maybe it’s time we start.