High Country Times

Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has expressed concern over the recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results. This assessment, conducted every four years, evaluates U.S. student performance in math and science compared to other countries.

Foxx stated, "TIMSS is one way we know how students stack up to the rest of the world. Today’s results paint a horrifying picture. American students had the lowest test scores in two decades."

She highlighted that not all countries experienced setbacks during what she referred to as the 'pandemic era' from 2019 to 2023, noting, "Another big takeaway is that not every country lost ground in the ‘pandemic era’ from 2019 to 2023; a lot of countries actually improved. The United States did not." She attributed this decline to "poor Democrat policies that kept school doors shut."

Foxx emphasized the seriousness of these findings: "Simply put, the results are awful and that's a huge deal. This should be a wakeup call for the education bureaucracy." She urged educational authorities to prioritize student outcomes over what she described as "the radical demands of teachers unions," adding that it is crucial to focus on developing future leaders.