It's time now for Ask An Expert. Every weekday at 9:20 AM on KCBS we're giving you direct access to top experts in various fields.

Today, we have reached a new low for national test scores in math and reading. New federal data tells us only a third of high school seniors are ready for college-level math and reading work, the latest in a decline that began long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help us break down the troubling results of the the Nation's Report Card, KCBS Radio anchors Margie Shafer and Eric Thomas spoke with Dr. Matthew Soldner, acting director of the Institute of Education Sciences, the research and data branch of the Education Department. He's also the commissioner of the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.