Report Out Of Iowa: Major Education Overhaul Needed

The Iowa Department of Education has released a new report that concludes the state's school system is in need of a major overhaul

In an editorial from The Newton Daily News, we learn that the Department of Education in the state of Iowa is looking to shake things up in how children in that state are being educated.

DES MOINES — Iowa’s education system may be in need of a major remodel. Students are missing the mark in math and reading competency while their counterparts in other states have made significant gains, according to a new report released today by the Iowa Department of Education.

Trends tracking Iowa students’ aachievement-levels show stagnant scores across the board.  This is everyone: from poorer and minority students to white, relatively affluent students.  The results are yet further testament to Iowa’s slide from a national leader in education to an average-to-below-average performer over the past 20 years.

“There are many good schools across the state, but given the global nature of the economy, we need them to be great,” said Jason Glass, director of the Iowa Department of Education. “We must have a world-class education system to have a world-class workforce.”

The report, “Rising to Greatness: An Imperative for Improving Iowa’s Schools,” provides critical information that will help policymakers, educators, parents and other Iowans target solutions in a statewide effort to restore Iowa’s standing as a leader in education.

The report card released today includes information on population and enrollment shifts in Iowa; reading and math scores on NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills; results from the ACT college entrance exam; a comparison of math performance in Iowa and other states to other nations; and a national comparison of the percentage of people with bachelor’s degrees.