Nothing moves the electorate more than kitchen table issues like education, health, crime, and the ability to stay financially secure. We have repeatedly shown that the Biden administration and its Democratic allies have failed America miserably on the economy and crime.
Now, there is substantial evidence that America’s children are falling behind in basic skills such as reading and history. While Glenn Youngkin made it to the Virginia governor’s mansion by skillfully addressing parent grievances over how schools over-emphasize the teaching of race, racism, and American history, the national GOP can run a winning campaign on far broader themes: the Democrats are failing our children and the GOP has a Contract-With-America type solution to tackle the issue.
Covid policies pushed forward by the administration, supported vigorously by the teachers’ unions, resulted in extended school lockdowns and remote learning. In 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a U.S. Department of Education agency, conducted a special administration of the long-term trend (LTT) reading and mathematics assessments for students aged nine years. The goal was to examine student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Average scores declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics compared to 2020. The collateral damage to children spending an entire year at home without engaging in in-person learning or school-based extracurricular activities, which help build student character, has been profound.
The public school system in New York City is a prime example of how our local governments are clueless about providing families with the most basic services. The Department of Education’s budget for the city’s schools is $38 billion, larger than the economies of Iceland or Trinidad/Tobago. There are 1.1 million students in the system, 75,000 teachers, and nearly 60,000 bureaucrats and employees. The numbers are mind-boggling. Lack of resources is clearly not the issue.
Half of the city’s children in grades three to eight, an extraordinarily high number, are now reported to fail reading tests. Black, Latino, and low-income household children, who form the majority of students, fare even worse. In a system where nearly 14% of students are English Language Learners and 72% are economically disadvantaged, this report on New York City’s performance is devastating. Someone should call AOC and give her this news. She can then spend less time on social media and divert her skills to better care for her constituents.
How important are reading skills in the development of a child? The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, an independent, not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, has recognized students for merit awards since 1955. To calculate the Selection Index Score for scholarship awards, the NMSC weights the scores on a crucial high school test administered by the College Board nationwide. The English performance is weighted at 67% to a student’s Math performance at 33%. In the wisdom of the NMSC, English and Reading skills in life are twice as important as Math skills.
NYC students do not perform any better in higher grades. On the SAT, student performance is dismal, even after accounting for differences because of Covid. In 2021, the average Math score was 492 out of a maximum of 800, placing New York City children in the bottom 42% of the global student population taking the test. The average English score was worse at 484, placing children in the bottom 39% of the world’s students. A city known worldwide for its domination in finance, marketing, and technology ought to do far better in educating its youth.
The failing trend in humanities learning is national. In the NAEP annual exam to test proficiencies, the average U.S. history score in 2022 in the eighth grade decreased by 5 points compared to 2018 and 9 points compared to 2014. The average civics score in the eighth grade decreased by 2 points compared to 2018.
Failing schools is a systemic national security issue that years of ever-increasing budgets and woke policies have failed to address. In a world where A.I. tools could effectively render many white-collar professions obsolete and America’s illegal migrant problem, which adds millions of impoverished, non-English speaking students to school rolls, adequate academic preparation for today’s youth is essential. It is the only way America can compete against China and the BRICS nations to maintain its Superpower status.
The GOP should seize the education issue and present realistic solutions for 2024. It can likely be a huge winner, just like crime.
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Geopolitics And Geoeconomics
1. Ukraine War: WFP Chief Cindy McCain Says Grain Deal With Russia Needed To Feed World – BBC
The head of the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that it will be difficult to feed the world if Russia pulls out of the Ukraine grain deal.
Cindy McCain told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program that the deal, due to expire on 18 May, must be renewed.
The export agreement has allowed Ukraine to transport millions of tonnes of food despite the ongoing conflict.
2. UK Sending Long-Range Storm Shadow Missiles To Ukraine, Says Defense Minister – Guardian
Britain donating arms capable of striking targets in occupied Crimea as Kyiv prepares counteroffensive against Russia.
Britain has become the first Western country to provide Ukraine with the long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles that Kyiv wants to boost its chances in a much-anticipated counteroffensive, prompting a threat from the Kremlin of a military response.
3. Zelenskyy Barred From Addressing ‘Nonpolitical’ Eurovision Song Contest – AP
This weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest will have Ukrainian flags, Ukrainian musicians, and Ukrainian fans — but not the country’s wartime leader.
Organizers rejected a request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a video address to the final of the pan-continental music competition on Saturday. He was expected to urge the world to support Ukraine’s fight to repel the Russian invasion.
4. US Training Ukrainian Law Enforcement To Target Russian Oligarchs Concealing Assets – Al-Arabiya
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that investigates financial crimes is training Ukrainian law enforcement agencies so the countries can work together to target financial networks used by sanctioned Russian oligarchs attempting to conceal their assets.
5. Russia Fury As Poland Renames Kaliningrad: Infographics – tippinsights
The Kremlin has said that Poland’s decision to rename Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea coast is a “hostile act.”
Mikhail Kalinin was one of six Soviet Politburo signatories to the order to execute more than 21,000 Polish prisoners of war in the forests of Katyn and elsewhere in 1940.
6. Senior U.S., Chinese Officials Hold “Candid” Talks Amid Frayed Ties – Kyodo
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, a CCP Politburo member in charge of foreign affairs, spent more than eight hours together over two days in Vienna as part of efforts to “responsibly manage competition.”
They agreed to keep lines of communication open, the White House said Thursday, amid months of heightened tensions between the two countries.
7. G-7 Finance Chiefs To Check Bank Risks, Supply Chains With Partners – Kyodo
G-7 finance chiefs on Friday will discuss ways to protect financial stability from bank runs caused by the widespread use of message apps and online banking.
They will also discuss how to build resilient supply chains amid China’s dominance over critical products and climate change.
8. Dwight Howard: Former NBA Player Apologizes After Angering China Over Taiwan Reference – BBC
Basketball star Dwight Howard has drawn a fierce backlash in China after he called Taiwan a “country” in a video.
The 37-year-old American’s comments came in a commercial appearance alongside Taiwan’s vice president. His remark was criticized as advocating “Taiwan independence” in China, which sees the island as a breakaway province.
Howard later told local media: “If I offended anyone in China, anybody you know, I apologize.”
9. Iran Still Smuggling Weapons, Narcotics To Yemen: US Envoy – Reuters
Iran has continued supplying weapons and drugs that fuel the Yemen war despite its agreement to restore diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said.
The Chinese-brokered accord reached in March, talks between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, and a ceasefire that largely has held despite expiring in October have boosted prospects for ending the conflict.
10. Rockets Fired At South, Jerusalem Area, Shattering Calm Amid Gaza Truce Efforts – Times Of Israel
Gazan terrorists fired dozens of rockets at Israel late Friday morning, breaking several hours of calm and likely setting back efforts to end the fighting after several days.
Rocket fire was directed at areas near the Strip. A short time later, more missiles were launched toward areas south of Jerusalem, setting off sirens in the Etzion settlement bloc and Beit Shemesh for the first time since violence erupted. Residents reported hearing several rocket interceptions.
11. Sudan’s Army, RSF Have Signed Deal To Protect Civilians: Senior US Officials, Saudi – Al-Arabiya
US officials said Thursday that Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces had signed a deal in Saudi Arabia committing to protecting Sudanese civilians.
“This is not a ceasefire; this is an affirmation of their obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly about the treatment of civilians and the need to create space for humanitarian aid to operate,” a senior State Department official said in a phone call.
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