Are Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha underperforming in school? According to teachers, this seems to be the case. There’s been an influx in teachers coming out detailing that the majority of their students are failing to perform and test on grade level. This information seems to track with data found across America. The National Center for Education Statistics, (NCES), finds that “Both math and reading scores began declining in 2012 and average scores are now lower than they were before the pandemic”. This drop off is most highlighted in Middle School. The NCES reported that middle school test scores are at the lowest they’ve been since 1994. While some people have directly blamed technology and social media for the drop off in education, I think that the parents of these children should be held accountable for not taking action to uphold their children’s education.,

Children are very perceptive, and they often pick up behaviors and ideas very early on from their parents. If parents put a big emphasis on the importance of education, this value will likely transfer to the kid and they will take school more seriously. Conversely, if you don’t prioritize the value of education to your children, they’ll have that mindset going into school. While it is important for each individual to take responsibility for their own priorities, and it’s not an excuse to slack off, I believe there is a serious issue when it comes to parents not enforcing education outside of school. 

Not only do parents have the most influence on their young children, but it’s unreasonable to expect teachers to take on the responsibility of forcing a student to learn on their own. Beyond the classroom, the authority of children belongs to the parents. Teachers can’t force kids to do homework or study for tests, the only people who can actually enforce that are the parents and students themselves. The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education says, “Parent involvement in education is crucial. No matter their income or background, students with involved parents are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly,…and adapt well to school”. These are all very critical things for students and their learning. “As a child’s first teacher, parents play the utmost important role in their children’s success”, Said Erin Bratkowski, Literature and Composition teacher, “Many students are still learning to form good habits and parents play a big part in this. Parents can sign up for notifications from canvas and be aware of quiz and test dates. To make sure their child is studying and prepared and they can even help teach their child how to study. There are daily check-ins where parents can make sure their child completed all their homework and discourage procrastination”. 

Students also believe that they benefit from their parents being involved contributes to their academic success. “I think my parents encourage me everyday to be my best which keeps me motivated to keep trying,” McKindra Klohr, freshman, said. “They constantly check and keep me on track with my work to make sure I’m succeeding.” If teenagers still need academic support, it is especially necessary for younger children to have discipline and structure.

While test scores and grades are one of the primary concerns of teachers, many have also detailed that their students’ behavior in the classroom and their overall respect for teachers has decreased. This is another example of values parents need to set with their children. If you display disrespect and carelessness, this is a trait that your children will believe is acceptable. Additionally, if you don’t demonstrate consequences for students’ misbehavior in the classroom, this allows them to continue their behavior.

If you have a child that’s attending school, it is your responsibility as a parent to be involved and to enforce discipline so that they’re on track. This means taking an active role to assure that your children are completing their work and understanding the basic grade level concepts. Additionally, parents need to enforce values and teach their children about the importance of their academic success. These simple actions can make a significant difference in the way that your child views school and education.