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One-third of US public school students are behind grade level, data shows: 'Failing' our children

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Sobering data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates nearly one-third of U.S. public schoolchildren are behind grade level, with the data pointing to even more devastating numbers for students in select regions.

The report is based on responses to the June 2024 School Pulse Panel that asked about grade proficiency in subjects like English, social studies, math, science, computer science, and foreign languages. Responses indicated that an average of 32% of students nationwide were behind grade level as of the end of the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 33% in June 2022.

Students in the Northeastern U.S. saw the most significant decline in grade level proficiency, with the number of those falling behind climbing to 31% from 26% two years ago.

The Midwest also saw an uptick, though small, from 30% to 31% within the same timeframe, and schools surveyed in the West took home the title of those with the highest number of students behind grade level with a climb from 37% in 2022 to 39% this year.

Many students in public schools across the nation are behind grade level, new NCES data shows. (iStock)

"The government school system has become more of a jobs program for adults than an education initiative for kids," Corey DeAngelis, a self-described "school choice evangelist," told Fox News Digital while commenting on the data.

"The government school system is failing too many students while spending nearly $20,000 per student per year. No child should be trapped in a one-size-fits-all failure factory any longer. The money should follow the child to the school that best meets their needs. That would give the assigned government-run schools a real incentive to do a better job."

Schools in the South saw the only decrease, with 29% of students currently behind grade level, down from 34% in 2022.

Chronic absenteeism remains a concern among teachers and education experts following the COVID-19 pandemic. (iStock)

"I’m sadly unsurprised by this newest data. Our public schools are hampered by useless policies, stifled by needless bureaucracy, and beset by ineffective instructional and curricular practices. Unfortunately, progressive ideology and the political power of unions have kept policymakers from implementing any meaningful changes beyond another blank check," he said.

Dr. Sheri Few, president and founder of United States Parents Involved in Education, said the results reflected a sobering reality.

"If schools dropped the inappropriate emphasis on woke issues and refocused on teaching math, reading, science and history, progress could be made. In the meantime, parents need to realize the truth — there is at best, a 35% chance your child will learn to read or do math at grade level if you send them to public school!" Few told Fox News Digital.

"Chronic absenteeism might have something to do with the continued failing results in too many government schools," DeAngelis said.

"The kids learned from the power-hungry teachers unions who did everything they could to avoid going back to school starting in 2020. The teachers unions told everyone that school wasn't important and we're still seeing the consequences. Since 2000, the number of students in the government school system increased by about 5%. The number of teachers has increased by 10%. But the number of administrators has increased by 95% … Funding students directly with school choice will finally give the system an incentive to cater to the needs of children and their families as opposed to the other way around."

The same NCES data reflects those absenteeism concerns, indicating that 78% of schools surveyed found that students missed too much school time after staying home due to "minor symptoms."

To help mitigate some of the absences, 69% of schools opted for incentives to boost attendance. Overall, the numbers show public schools have a 90% daily attendance rate nationwide.