American Students: Below Average

 In New York State last year, 55% of the students passed the reading test. But this year only 31% passed. The average student was below average. I should point out that the test has been changed. The Board of Regents adopted national standards pushed by the Federal government called the Common Core. I will grant you that no one really knows what this test predicts. No data is available. Nevertheless I think it is clear that in a single year, American students have suddenly become stupid; teachers and schools have failed en masse. Or we are stuck with the unfortunate alternative, which is that when it comes to education the Federal government and the NY Board of Regents can't tell the difference between their own flabby bottoms and random pairs of hot rocks.