What is "The Achievement Plateau?"

1. The NAEP is the National Assessment of Educational Progress. It’s sometimes referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card.”

2. From 1992 to 2019, U.S. students in 4th and 8th grade improved 3 points in literacy.

   

3. From 2009 to 2019, U.S. students in 4th grade went up one point in math; 8th grade students went down one point.

   

4. This is a phenomenon, a stagnation of growth, I call the "The Achievement Plateau."

5. In math, we’ve plateaued for the last 10 years. In literacy, it's been more like 30 years. 

6. When I entered in education in 2004, the hype was about the "achievement gap." 

7. After 17 years of practice as a teacher, central office administrator, and principal, not only has the gap remained, but the larger issue is that no one is really improving in any meaningful way.

8. This problem is not unique to one district or one state.

9. We have plateaued as a nation.

10. That plateau has concerning implications for our students' and country's future.

11. It also comes at a time when education has experienced some dramatic reforms, yet still struggles to produce a return on those investments (many of which weren't monetary).

12. I'm starting this blog to figure out why. 

13. I don't pretend to have answers. I will pretend to have some theories based on my clinical/anecdotal research.