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> if the problem is what the ed schools are currently churning out, what explains the last thirty years of steadily declining educational standards? <

Fair question. The main problem in urban public education is the lack of effective classroom discipline. That has always been a problem, but it has accelerated over the past thirty years - which is just the time you cited.

A secondary problem is truancy. Truancy laws are no longer enforced like they should be. So kids now come to school whenever they feel like it. No one can master a subject that way.

Here’s a typical situation. It’s Algebra 1 in an urban high school. Most of the kids are okay (even in my worst classes, most of the kids were okay). 30 students are in the rolls. On any given day, maybe 20 or so show up. It’s rarely the same 20. And 2 or 3 are chronically disruptive.

Old days: A truant officer would be trying to get those missing students to attend class. There’d be phone calls and visits home. And disruptive kids would be suspended from school for a day or two, giving the class a bit of breathing room.

Now: There are no truant officers (at least where I taught). And there are no attendance rules. Absenteeism is is high. Disruptive students are NOT suspended, as it would make the school look bad.

Today’s principals get bonuses when suspension rates drop. So there are few suspensions. Teachers are told to handle disruptive students on their own.

That makes the teacher more of a cop, and less of an instructor. How can you teach effectively when one kid is talking on his cell phone, two more are wondering around the room, etc.?

It’s a real mess.

I taught embedded systems at a junior college in the San Diego area from 1980 to 1983. It was an enjoyable experience because my students wanted to be there. Per the Regional Occupational Program funding my course, 91% of my students got hired by DEC or IBM. ROP was very happy with that stat. Some of my students showed up at the computer center where I worked for PacBell. They were in the building doing maintenance work on the mainframes. A couple of them moved to Las Vegas and went to work for companies making gaming machines for Las Vegas. The age range of my students was 15 to 65. A very ethnically diverse classroom as well. They came with a good attitude and left with marketable skills.

My daughter made it through being 147th in line to getting an invitation to attend the Charter High School two blocks from my house.

Beginning this Fall, with the Class of 2027, they are revising their Grade Scale; there will be no more D’s.

90% is the cutoff for an A
80% is the cutoff for a B
70% is the cutoff for a C
Below that, you get an F

There are ~2300 students at this school, less than 1% of whom had disciplinary issues resulting in suspension. Statewide the average is 3%.

Eyes wide open but planning on a good run.