The Intelligence from The Economist The Intelligence: F is for falling standards
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Mar 18, 2024 Despite more high-school graduates in the U.S., academic standards are slipping, raising concerns about educational equity and quality. Meanwhile, London's Canary Wharf is transforming from a financial hub to a mixed-use space, adapting to the rise of remote work. As traditional office usage declines, there's a pivot towards residential developments. In the cinema industry, while general attendance drops, high-end movie experiences are thriving, showcasing an intriguing shift in consumer preferences.
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Declining Academic Standards
- American high school graduation rates have risen, but standardized test scores like the SAT and ACT have dropped.
- This disconnect suggests schools may be lowering academic standards to boost graduation numbers.
Inflated Graduation Rates
- Graduation rates increased even after controlling for test scores and dropout rates in a study of 3,000 high schools.
- This suggests American public high schools are inflating graduation rates by about 4 percentage points.
Causes of Lowering Standards
- No Child Left Behind, while well-intentioned, incentivized schools to lower standards to meet targets.
- Concerns about racial equity also contributed to lowering standards, as seen in debates in New Jersey and Oregon.