By Lance Izumi & Wenyuan Wu
Recently released national test scores saw significant declines in math and reading in virtually all states. Yet not all state leaders reacted with similar alarm. So, while both their states experienced low test scores, California Gov. Gavin Newsom shockingly sent out a boastful press release, while Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin put out a detailed plan to raise student achievement.
In his press release, Mr. Newsom claimed, “California performed better than most other states and the nation from 2019-22.” Yet this claim is highly misleading.
Mr. Newsom’s assertion is based on a comparison of California’s scoring decline on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam from 2019 to 2022 versus the decline in other states.
