Amanpour and Company

Why Is American Student Achievement Down? (It’s Not Trump or the Pandemic)

Michel Martin sits down with Andrew Rice, a features writer at New York Magazine, to discuss his recent cover story, “The Big Fail: Student achievement has fallen off a cliff. And neither Trump nor the pandemic is to blame.” In the story Rice investigates a steep, decade-long decline in U.S. student achievement and why even wealthy and progressive communities are struggling to address the problem.

Why Is American Student Achievement Down? (It’s Not Trump or the Pandemic)

17m 51s

  • December 3, 2025: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    December 3, 2025

    S2025 E8046 - 55m 45s

    Fmr. U.S. Amb. to NATO Julianne Smith unpacks Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner's meeting with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine peace. Jeremy Diamond brings us a report on the fate of Gaza's missing. Fmr. Israeli PM Ehud Olmert discusses Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) shares his plan to lower healthcare costs ahead of expiring enhanced premium tax credits.

  • December 2, 2025: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    December 2, 2025

    S2025 E8045 - 55m 51s

    The Wall Street Journal's Yaroslav Trofimov discusses Steve Witkoff's meeting with President Putin. Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov releases the third volume of his war diary. Steve Hartman discusses his project, photographing the rooms of children killed in school shootings. Father of a victim, Bryan Muehlberger, also joins. Iranian Women's Rights Activist Mahnaz Afkhami looks back on her work.

  • December 1, 2025: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    December 1, 2025

    S2025 E8044 - 55m 50s

    Reporter Stephen Collinson unpacks the legality of strikes on alleged cartel vessels. Brian Winter discusses Trump's latest moves in South America. John Kerry dissects the admin.'s unconventional approach to diplomacy. Pastor Tim Johnson discusses his "Fatherless No More" initiative. Writer Andrew Rice investigates the steep decline in U.S. student achievement.

PBS PASSPORT

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA+ and PBS Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.