The children in the second grade at a local elementary school scored lower on tests of math skills this year than the second graders did last year
The school board blames the disappointing results on the budget cuts that forced the school to consolidate several classes of second-grade students, thus depriving them of the individualized attention that they had previously enjoyed
The test that the second graders took this year was not more difficult than the test that the second graders took last year.