Andy Saultz
Saultz, who has a doctorate in educational policy, is an associate professor of education and leadership at Pacific University. He lives in Portland.
Last week, the Oregon Department of Education released results from the first standardized test taken since 2019. Statewide, just 39% of third through eighth grade students scored proficient in reading and writing, and only 28% scored proficient in math.
Those results come just a few weeks after the National Assessment of Educational Progress released K-12 test results from 2022, showing the first-ever declines in math and the largest drop in reading achievement since the 1980s. The NAEP test is given to a sample of students across the country and is the largest nationally representative assessment of what students know and can do. These declines are alarming, but even more problematic are the widening gaps in the already unacceptable achievement inequalities across racial and socio-economic groups.
Educators have worked tirelessly under incredibly difficult circumstances ever since the pandemic hit. Policies and procedures were created on the fly, and educators at the local level were tasked with implementing things that they had no control over. I am grateful for all our educators, and we need to create more sustainable working conditions for them moving forward.
But we must acknowledge that we have not served our children best by the policies we have implemented. We must move forward with an urgency that recognizes that our children deserve more than we have given them.
There are many policies that are grounded in evidence that can improve student learning. Oregon can and should implement these ideas to build a more equitable public education system. Here is where I would start:
A massive, statewide tutoring and mentoring program. Tutoring is one of the more unequal parts to the educational infrastructure in which the majority of students who have access to tutoring are white and upper middle class. The research on tutoring shows that tutoring is one of the most effective ways to raise student achievement. The pandemic has been an isolating time for everyone, and a massive, statewide tutoring program individually connecting the community to students would serve the dual purpose of building meaningful relationships and improving student academic achievement.
Continue free lunch for all: From 2020 until the end of the 2021-2022 school year, the federal government provided waivers for districts and schools to allow for free lunch for all children. Research on the free lunch programs shows they increase student attendance, improve academic outcomes and lower child hunger significantly. Over the summer, the federal government discontinued the funding. Some states, like California and Maine, used state funds to fill the void. Oregon should follow suit. This is one of the most cost-effective ways at achieving many of our policies goals quickly.
Reevaluate instructional time: Last year, several districts in the Portland metro area cut school days due to staffing issues and educator stress. We have to create a system that supports educators without taking learning time away from students. These scores demonstrate that our children need more instructional time, not less. Further, the pandemic birthed a dramatic increase in online learning options for families. This came out of necessity due to family concerns over the safety of their children. Almost every study of online learning in K-12 education shows that students learn less on average than in in-person schooling. The state needs to regulate online learning and encourage families to send their children to in-person schooling.
We have a gubernatorial race this fall with three very different candidates. I hope to hear their plans for investing in kids through tangible policies. The research clearly demonstrates that there are things we can do to improve learning and narrow achievement inequalities. The question is, will we have the political leadership to prioritize the next generation?