The National Center for Education Statistics released the “Nation’s Report Card” on Monday and found a significant drop in reading and math scores—but reports blamed the “COVID pandemic”—not braindead lockdowns that damaged an entire generation of students. 

Peggy Carr, the center’s commissioner, noted that the study was the first assessment in three years and found the largest drop in math scores among fourth- and eighth-graders since 1990, when the assessment started. 

“Eighth grade is that gateway to more advanced mathematical course taking,” Carr said, according to CNN. “This is what these students are missing. They’re missing these important skills that will prepare them eventually for (science, technology, engineering and math) level careers.”

The drop in math scores was seen in nearly every state and just 26 percent of eighth graders were considered proficient, which is a decline from 34 percent in 2019. About 36 percent of fourth graders are considered proficient in math, which was a decline from 41 percent in 2019.

The Trends Journal has reported extensively on the harm that COVID-19 lockdowns had on the country, in particular the young. (See “COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS DID IRREPARABLE DAMAGE FOR GENERATION OF STUDENTS, AS THE TRENDS JOURNAL FORECAST” “CRUCIAL COVID DATA IGNORED BY PRESSTITUTES” 14 Dec 2021, “MISMANAGING A PANDEMIC: FAILURES IN THE COVID-19 NARRATIVE” 9 Aug 2022, “MORE EVIDENCE KIDS DON’T SPREAD COVID TO ADULTS” 17 Nov 2020 and “SCHOOL LOCKDOWNS KILLING STUDENTS” 2 Feb 2021.)

Susanna Loeb, the director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, told The New York Times last month that the biggest concern is the “lower achievement of the lower-achieving kids.” She said lower test scores at an early age often pave the way for many children embarking on their education.

TRENDPOST: The COVID-19 lockdowns did nothing to stop the spread of the virus and did incalculable damage to an entire generation of Americans, and yet not one politician or health official is going to see their careers end. Indeed, there was not one scintilla of scientific data to support the measures.

In fact, some of the biggest advocates for these lockdowns, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, are mentioned as new leaders in their parties. Why? Because there is no news media in the U.S. to hold these politicians accountable. 

Math scores in the U.S. had their deepest declines ever and reading scores are at 1992 levels. 

“In NAEP, when we experience a 1- or 2-point decline, we’re talking about it as a significant impact on a student’s achievement. In math, we experienced an 8-point decline—historic for this assessment,” Carr said, according to The AP.

In California, 84 percent of black students and 79 percent of Latino and low-income students did not meet math standards in 2022, The Los Angeles Times reported. The paper noted that even before the outbreak, 60 percent of students were testing below national averages.

“We are talking about a really serious erosion of children’s capacities to read and count in the next generation of the workforce…. And so this becomes a global economic issue for America.” Beverly Perdue, the chair of the National Assessment Governing Board, said.