Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I don't know what's going on in homes or in the lower grades, but year after year I get kids in 7th grade who cannot add or subtract numbers in double digits, do not know their multiplication tables, do not know the difference between a city and a state, or a city and a country, have no idea where any country is except Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the US. Think Paris is a country near Turkey, could be easily convinced that China is in Africa, can't tell time on an analog clock, have no idea when the Civil War was or who fought it or why or who won... Can't tell you what 50% of 6 is... and I'm supposed to "draw upon their prior knowledge" to teach them recurring theme in bell hooks and Gary Soto's writing. They can't spell "would" or "because". (Not all of them, but huge numbers, are at this level.)
Do you teach in a poor district, or are these kids just the ones who should have been left back,since the first grade?