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Math Skills of US High School Graduates Continue Downward Slide
The math skills of college-bound high school graduates in the United States have slid to their lowest point in 14 years, according to a national testing organization.
An indicator that the students were "ready to succeed" in a first-year college algebra class fell to its lowest level since 2004, according to ACT, an organization that administers standardized testing to students. Forty percent of those who took the ACT national test, used for college admissions applications as an alternative to the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, met or surpassed the ACT College Readiness Benchmark for math.
That was a decline from 46 percent in 2012.
"The negative trend in math readiness is a red flag for our country, given the growing importance of math and science skills in the increasingly tech-driven U.S. and global job market," said ACT CEO Marten Roorda in a news release. "It is vital that we turn this trend around for the next generation and make sure students are learning the math skills they need for success in college and career."
English and science
Scores in English proficiency, or readiness, as it is known in education circles, also dropped again. They fell to 60 percent of test-takers this year from 64 percent in 2015, the lowest level since testing began.
Reading and science levels showed neither a long-term decline nor an increase. In reading, 46 percent were ready to move to the next level of learning, while in science, that metric stood at 36 percent.
"Science remains the subject area in which students are least likely to be prepared for college coursework," the report stated.
Among high school graduates in 2018, 35 percent met none of the ACT benchmarks, an increase from 31 percent in 2014, ACT reported.
"Slightly fewer ACT-tested graduates were well prepared for college coursework overall this year than last year," ACT stated. "These students are likely to struggle in first-year college coursework in all four core subject areas."
Race and ethnicity
Asian-Americans performed the best on the benchmark tests. Their average score rose compared with students in other racial or ethnic groups, whose scores declined.
Hispanic and African-American students scored behind their white and Asian-American counterparts. Less than one-quarter of "low-income, minority, and/or first-generation college students ... who make up 43 percent of all ACT-tested graduates … were well prepared for college coursework."
The ACT uses a numerical score of 0 to 36 to rank student proficiencies. The average overall score of American high school graduates ready for college-level courses overall this year was 20.8 out of 36.
"STEM's future not adding up well for America," headlined the news from ACT, meaning science, technology, engineering and math proficiency was not improving.
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
- By VOA News
STEM, business top subjects for international students
The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.
Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Work opportunities help draw international students to US schools
US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)
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British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
