California Drowning
Radicals take the formerly Golden State to new lows.
November 20, 2023 by Larry Sand 8 Comments
Newsletter
California has long been known for its sun, surf, and mountains, not to mention its wine, women, and song. But of late, it has been the go-to state for bad news and is showing no sign of turning things around. At this time, we have the country’s highest gas prices, the highest number of welfare recipients (more than in Texas and New York combined), and a Sacramento-created energy shortage. Due to lax policies, crime is out of control. In 2021, the two cities in the country that were most affected by retail theft were Los Angeles and San Francisco. Also, violent crime is up 13% in the state since 2019. This is not a national phenomenon. In Florida, for example, it’s down 31.5%.
Then we have the schools. In California, the most recent Smarter Balanced test scores released in late October indicate that just 46.7% of students are meeting literacy standards, and a meager 34.6% are proficient in math. This standardized test is given to all students in grades 3–8 and grade 11. Also, the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) shows that 30% of the state’s 8th-graders are proficient in reading and 23% are proficient in math.
Despite the abysmal test results on the Smarter Balanced test, the state’s Department of Education asserts that the 2022–23 statewide assessment shows student progress. While the proportion of students who met or exceeded grade-level standards on the state math test did rise slightly from 33.4% in 2021-22 to 34.6% in 2022-23, the fact remains that about two-thirds of California students are below grade level.
https://www.frontpagemag.com/california-drowning/