Every so often, the U.S. Department of Education conducts what it calls a BNational Assessment of Educational Progress,C which is bureaucrateze for what is, essentially, a national report card.

The purpose of the assessment is to let everyone know just how our youngsters are doing in school 7 just as the report card that comes home with your child periodically is supposed to give you a snapshot of how he or she is doing in the classroom.

The latest report card concerns writing skills, one of the bedrocks of a good education. If this assessment were a real report card being sent home with your child, and if the kid had any duplicity in his or her body, it/s one you might not get to see.

But there are no excuses for the nation/s report card on writing skills, which shows U.S. students/ abilities sliding to new depths.

The federal report paints a dismal picture. Of the students tested nationwide, just slightly more than a third of eighth-graders, and less than 25 percent of 12th-graders, could muster at least a rating of BproficientC in writing tests.

California students did even worse. Three-quarters of the state/s eighth-graders performed at or below the basic acceptability level. Seniors/ tests weren/t included in this report, so we aren/t sure where they stand.

But it wouldn/t be difficult to guess 7 and our estimate is that California/s 12th-graders would rank no higher than the national average, which is sub-par.

In fact, this state/s eighth-graders had better writing scores than students in only Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico and West Virginia 7 places where low family income and educational shortcomings generally go hand-in-hand.

Educators blame California students/ poor writing skills on the presence of so many kids still learning English. State schools Supt. Jack O/Connell said the report card shows that Btoo many of our English learners are underperforming.C

An excuse in a culture that seems to accept excuses as solutions. It/s time to stop talking about inadequate education, and start doing something about the problem. Better education for our youngsters should be a top priority for parents, educators and state lawmakers.

April 7, 2008