from u/jcskunk Jersey City Public Schools regularly test poorly on math and science. The scores are consistently substantially worse than on reading. What can we do to improve student performance on critical subjects to prepare students for the jobs of the future?

One of the biggest setbacks for our students are the conditions of our buildings. These are not environments that are conducive to learning. With leaking roofs, old/dirty bathrooms that don’t work, unreliable heat and no air conditioning in many schools, it is amazing that our students can even concentrate on their work at all. If as adults we were asked to work a job in these locations, the condition of the building would likely affect our desire to stay. The same could be said for our teachers; it is not proper for them to work under these conditions either. If the district provided a better learning environment for the students I know it would improve scores. Think about it, how can you excel at a subject like science if you don’t have proper lab space or equipment?

Now I don’t think that is the only thing that can be done but with the current improvements to our curriculum and grades/scores actually starting to improve, I think we also have to give it some time. The pandemic and virtual learning did not help but I do think that we are pointed in the right direction.