Paul L. Thomas says education policy and socioeconomic policy have strong ties

Paul L. Thomas was quoted in the Alaska Beacon and other news sources about standardized test scores and what they mean for policymaking. Thomas, a longtime Furman University education professor, told the Alaska Legislature Task Force on Education Funding that standardized test results might not be the most appropriate dataset on which to base education policy decisions.

“The key to understanding test data in Alaska is the information on poverty,” Thomas said. The story notes that Alaska’s NAEP scores of fourth- and eighth- graders ranked lower than the national public in mathematics and reading in 2024. According to the Nation’s Report Card, about 69% of students performing below the 25th percentile are economically disadvantaged. In Alaska, nearly half its students are considered economically disadvantaged.

“Education policy and socioeconomic policy are really strongly connected,” Thomas said. “Test scores are a reflection of the socioeconomic status of the students.”

The story ran in the Daily Sitka Sentinel (Alaska, subscription required), The Recorder (Florida), SpartaLive.com (Tennessee), and Hill Country News (Texas).