CHICAGO (WLS) — A local former education leader and college professor are weighing in, after American high schoolers got a bad report card Tuesday.

Many of the nation’s high schoolers are not making the grade. They’re falling behind in math and reading.

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The National Assessment of Education Progress just released its report, known as the Nation’s Report Card.

It recorded its lowest average score ever in reading since testing began in 1992.

Thirty two percent of high school seniors scored below the “basic” level.

In math, the average score last year was the lowest since 2005.

The figures were derived from a national sample. Although they appear unfavorable, some education experts indicate that low reading and math scores are not a new issue. They have remained within a few points of each other for decades.

Reading skills are far from an American high school senior’s strength.

“It means that well over a third of American high school seniors cannot consistently explain the main point of a passage or define a key word in a sentence, despite billions in federal spending and numerous well-intentioned programs,” stated Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

McMahon says the decline is proof federal dollars don’t work, even though 90% of education is funded locally.

Paul Vallas, who has led several school systems, including Chicago Public Schools, believes teachers unions have significantly contributed to low test scores.

“There has been a systematic abandonment of standards because the unions have not provided schools the flexibility required to allocate their funds in ways that boost student achievement. This enhancement demands more work, increased instructional time, and greater accountability,” Vallas explained.

Former teacher and DePaul University education professor Roxanne Owen asserts that the education system in the United States will not advance as long as stakeholders persist in blaming one another.

“Everyone is searching for a singular solution, but such a solution does not exist. We all need to collaborate and cease the infighting,” Owen remarked.

While COVID and social media play big roles in the decline, Owen says the reading scores are not much lower than they were decades ago. She says school districts must keep kids interested in learning with current curriculums.

“The things that kids are getting in terms of materials, it’s not incentivizing them. It’s not motivating them to want to read, and that’s a huge problem from fifth grade on up,” Owens said.