Linda McMahon on Failing Students and the Need for Standardized Testing

Declining Student Performance

• 📉 Student scores have been consistently declining, a problem that predates COVID-19 but was exacerbated by school closures.
• 🎯 NAPE scores (the nation's report card) show alarming proficiency levels, with 70% of eighth graders not reading proficiently and similar issues in math.
• ⚠️ The US has spent $3 trillion on education since 1980, yet the trend in scores has been downward.

The Role of Standardized Testing

• 📊 Standardized testing, particularly national assessments like NAPE, is crucial for objective and consistent measurement across states.
• 🔑 McMahon emphasizes that objective measures are needed to ensure states are implementing effective educational practices.
• 🚫 She has not heard arguments to abandon testing; rather, the focus is on maintaining these metrics as education is returned to the states.

Decentralization and State Control

• 🏛️ The Trump administration's initiative aims to send funding and local control away from Washington and back to the states.
• 🗣️ McMahon is touring the country to encourage governors and education officials to embrace decentralization and the idea that teachers should be empowered to teach.
• 🧩 While some states experiment with portable accounts and alternative education, the core message is that declining scores are an American problem, not specific to any political party.

Parental Choice and Accountability

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The concept of parental choice in education is highlighted, with the argument that parents should be able to choose schools for their children.
• ⚖️ Accountability is framed by the ability of parents to choose, suggesting that one size does not fit all in education.
• ✅ The goal is to provide parents and students with diversity and pro-choice in their educational options.