Corey Turner

How are kids doing in reading? Well, that may be the toughest news of all. In fourth and eighth grade, both reading scores continued to fall from 2022 to to 2024. And keep in mind, they'd already been falling from 2019 to 2022. The lowest performers in reading are actually scoring worse now than the lowest performers who took the test 30 years ago.

How are kids doing in reading? Well, that may be the toughest news of all. In fourth and eighth grade, both reading scores continued to fall from 2022 to to 2024. And keep in mind, they'd already been falling from 2019 to 2022. The lowest performers in reading are actually scoring worse now than the lowest performers who took the test 30 years ago.

How are kids doing in reading? Well, that may be the toughest news of all. In fourth and eighth grade, both reading scores continued to fall from 2022 to to 2024. And keep in mind, they'd already been falling from 2019 to 2022. The lowest performers in reading are actually scoring worse now than the lowest performers who took the test 30 years ago.

And remember how I said only one state had surpassed its pre-pandemic math scores? Well, it is the same in reading. In only one state are fourth graders doing better than they were in 2019, and that is Louisiana.

And remember how I said only one state had surpassed its pre-pandemic math scores? Well, it is the same in reading. In only one state are fourth graders doing better than they were in 2019, and that is Louisiana.

And remember how I said only one state had surpassed its pre-pandemic math scores? Well, it is the same in reading. In only one state are fourth graders doing better than they were in 2019, and that is Louisiana.

Yeah, so $190 billion. That is a lot of money. You're right. But several researchers told me, look... That money helped, just not enough. And part of the reason why is because Congress sent most of it directly to districts. They had a lot of freedom in spending it, and they were only required to spend a small fraction of it on learning loss.

Yeah, so $190 billion. That is a lot of money. You're right. But several researchers told me, look... That money helped, just not enough. And part of the reason why is because Congress sent most of it directly to districts. They had a lot of freedom in spending it, and they were only required to spend a small fraction of it on learning loss.

Yeah, so $190 billion. That is a lot of money. You're right. But several researchers told me, look... That money helped, just not enough. And part of the reason why is because Congress sent most of it directly to districts. They had a lot of freedom in spending it, and they were only required to spend a small fraction of it on learning loss.

I also want to say, though, these declines in math and reading, Steve, when you look big picture, they were made worse by the pandemic. But they actually started before COVID, around a decade ago. And researchers told me understanding why is going to be key to getting kids back on track.

I also want to say, though, these declines in math and reading, Steve, when you look big picture, they were made worse by the pandemic. But they actually started before COVID, around a decade ago. And researchers told me understanding why is going to be key to getting kids back on track.

I also want to say, though, these declines in math and reading, Steve, when you look big picture, they were made worse by the pandemic. But they actually started before COVID, around a decade ago. And researchers told me understanding why is going to be key to getting kids back on track.

This big report card, it's great for understanding where kids are struggling, but not why or what we can do about it.

This big report card, it's great for understanding where kids are struggling, but not why or what we can do about it.

This big report card, it's great for understanding where kids are struggling, but not why or what we can do about it.

For half a century, Title IX has banned discrimination in schools based on sex. At issue in this decision is a rule the Biden administration released last spring interpreting the law to also protect sexual orientation and gender identity. The rule had been hailed by LGBTQ plus advocates, but was challenged by 26 conservative-led states that argued the president had exceeded his legal authority.

For half a century, Title IX has banned discrimination in schools based on sex. At issue in this decision is a rule the Biden administration released last spring interpreting the law to also protect sexual orientation and gender identity. The rule had been hailed by LGBTQ plus advocates, but was challenged by 26 conservative-led states that argued the president had exceeded his legal authority.

In this latest ruling, a federal judge in Kentucky agreed, striking down the rule nationally and writing that it, quote, turns Title IX on its head. Before this decision, the rule had already been blocked in half the country. Corey Turner, NPR News.

In this latest ruling, a federal judge in Kentucky agreed, striking down the rule nationally and writing that it, quote, turns Title IX on its head. Before this decision, the rule had already been blocked in half the country. Corey Turner, NPR News.

Yeah, it was August 2023. And a lot has happened since then. In that episode, I was talking about President Biden's big new student loan repayment plan, the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, or if you love acronyms, SAVE. He rolled it out after the Supreme Court struck down his big effort to outright forgive billions of dollars in federal student loan debt.