- Only 35% of Iowa 4th graders were at or above proficient in reading in 2002?*
- Only 28% of Iowa 4th graders were at or above proficient in math in 2000?*
- Only 18% of the nation’s 4th graders are proficient in U.S. history?*
- In spite of sound scientific research supporting explicit instruction in phonics and phonemic awareness, schools continue to embrace the discredited “whole language” approach to reading instruction?
- Most locally used math curricula do not teach the standard algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, preferring “invented strategies” and calculators?
- Despite evidence demonstrating its ineffectiveness, education schools continue to train teachers in constructivist and progressive theories of education?
*Source: The NAEP (the “Nation’s Report Card”)