NAEP scores decline; JFY can help
By Greg Cunningham
History can be made by a landmark event that is celebrated for years, decades, even centuries. But the historic scores reported last week by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) won’t be celebrated. NAEP reported historic low scores in math and reading, the lowest since the math test began in 2005 and since the reading test started in 1992. The pandemic has been blamed for learning loss in recent years; but the downward trend far predates that handy scapegoat. The staid Wall Street Journal, in an editorial headed “Another K-12 Education Disaster,” called the NAEP report “a five-alarm fire” (WSJ 9/10/25).
Education leaders have searched for solutions to education decline for decades. The National Defense Education Act of 1958 was one attempt, spurred by Sputnik. The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 that created our current system of curriculum standards was a homegrown effort to lift student achievement. There have been many other experiments by individual schools, districts, states, and independent researchers. One such system, conveniently included in the Journal’s NAEP coverage last week, offers an instructive example (The Economics of Education Reform, WSJ 9/9/25).
The research project was called Apollo 20. Led by a Harvard economics professor, it ran in Houston from 2010 to 2013 and served 20,000 students. The model, as presented in the op-ed, rested on “Five Tenets”—more instruction time; high expectations; frequent teacher feedback; data-driven instruction; high dosage tutoring. The cost of the three-year project was $60 million ($83 million in today’s dollars). Though there were gains in math, there were none in reading. It was unscalable: it served only 20,000 out of Houston’s district enrollment of 280,000. The $20 million annual cost on top of the regular school budget made it unsustainable. Houston did not continue the program.
Many of the principles of Apollo 20 have become standard goals. High expectations, increased time on task augmented by tutoring, and data-driven instruction supported by teacher feedback are woven into school mission statements. But the challenges faced by schools often make these goals difficult to attain.
Through years of trial, error, and success, JFYNetWorks has incorporated many of these practices into our AIMS program model– Assess, Instruct, Measure, Support. We help schools use our supported online instruction to increase student engagement and achievement by enriching daily lessons. Assessment-based curriculum ensures that the skills being taught meet the student where he or she is. Our constant formative reporting helps the teacher make timely adjustments so that, to coin a phrase, no child is left behind. We work within the school schedule and with all school staff–teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and volunteers.
Using JFY’s customized software, the AIMS model begins with assessment, using diagnostics to measure students’ current skill levels in math and English and identify areas for improvement. Based on this data, instruction is tailored through a blended learning approach that combines teacher expertise with adaptive online resources, meeting students at their level and guiding them forward. To keep students on track, continuous measurement provides regular progress reports, helping teachers and administrators make timely adjustments and prevent setbacks. Finally, the model emphasizes support, with JFY Learning Specialists providing teachers with ongoing online and on-site assistance to ensure they have the tools, strategies, and resources needed for long-term student and school success.
Many students say their biggest obstacle to learning is the pace of instruction. For some, lessons move too quickly and assume prior knowledge they do not have, making it hard to keep up. For others, the pace feels too slow, leading to boredom and disengagement. JFY’s AIMS-directed software addresses these perennial dilemmas by meeting students at their individual learning levels, keeping them engaged and steadily progressing toward success.
The JFYNetWorks AIMS methodology has worked for dozens of schools and thousands of students for more than two decades. We are always open to bringing on new partners. We encourage teachers and administrators to schedule a consultation by signing up at jfynet.org
