Congressman Tim Walberg says the latest report on student test scores around the nation shows something needs to be done to shake up education policy.

Walberg tells us the National Assessment of Educational Progress released the numbers last week.

“They’re terrible, they’re terrible,” Walberg said. “And most recently, last week, when they released their scores, high schoolers on down, are having the worst outcome scores in math and reading that they’ve had since we began keeping the numbers.”

Walberg, the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, says the average 12th grade reading and math scores are lower than in 2019 at every percentile except the 90th. He says dismantling the Department of Education ought to help decentralize education policy.

“Our intention is that we give the authority back to the states and the locals to make the best decisions for education, let them be the laboratories of success or failure, and ultimately the citizens will choose what they do.”

Walberg says if something’s not working in one state, then that state could try something that’s working elsewhere. He tells us a “one size fits all” approach to education isn’t working.

Walberg believes the country is far enough out of COVID at this point to look for other explanations of poor student performance.