Last month, the National Assessment of Educational Progress was released. Commonly referred to as the “nation’s report card,” it is funded by the Department of Education, and in classic bureaucratic style, it crunched its numbers through slick graphics and lots of heady language. 

However, it couldn’t escape the data’s distressing conclusion: American children can’t read, and they can’t do math. (A mere 30% of American eighth graders scored “proficient” or better in reading. Twenty-eight percent were proficient in math.)

Recommended Stories

Learning the right lesson from international education rankings

Academic scores plunge once again: What can parents do?

Get married before having children, and other recipes for reducing poverty