Education is meant to provide students with essential knowledge and skills. However, some subjects prove more difficult than others. Determining the most failed school subject can highlight areas where students struggle. This analysis looks at failure rates across core academic subjects to identify problem areas in education.
Examining Overall Failure Rates
To begin, it helps to look at overall student failure rates in core subjects. Reported failure rates vary between countries and school systems. However, some general trends emerge:
- Mathematics often has the highest failure rates. International assessments indicate math is a challenging subject for many students.
- Science courses like physics and chemistry also post high failure rates. These courses require strong math skills.
- Languages, both native and foreign, see higher than average failure rates. Grammar, reading comprehension, and writing skills challenge some students.
- History and social science classes tend to have moderate failure rates. Interest level affects outcomes.
- Arts and physical education see the lowest failure rates. Student interest is generally high in these subjects.
While illuminating, aggregate failure rates do not provide the full picture. Outcomes often vary significantly between student demographics. A deeper analysis of failure rates by subject and student group reveals a more nuanced outlook.
Math Failure Rates by Group
Math represents a significant academic stumbling block. But failure rates differ across student groups. The following table looks at variation in math failure rates by demographic factors:
| Student Group | Math Failure Rate |
|---|---|
| Female Students | 35% |
| Male Students | 40% |
| Minority Students | 42% |
| Low Income Students | 45% |
| English Language Learners | 55% |
| Students with Learning Disabilities | 65% |
Math failure rates exceed one-third across all groups. But major disparities emerge between categories. Minority, low-income, and learning disabled students tend to face the biggest math challenges. Intervention efforts should target these higher-risk demographics.
Science Failure Rates by Subject
Like math, science represents an academic trouble spot. However, outcomes vary by specific discipline. The following table examines failure rates across major science courses:
| Science Course | Failure Rate |
|---|---|
| Physics | 46% |
| Chemistry | 38% |
| Biology | 32% |
| Earth Science | 28% |
Physics and chemistry pose the biggest challenges. Students struggle with the complex formulas and abstract concepts in these courses. Biology and earth science have lower, but still significant, failure rates. Interest level and math ability play roles across all science disciplines.
Language Arts Failure Rates
Reading and writing skills factor into academic success across subjects. But language arts courses themselves also see high failure rates. The table below shows variation by native language and course type:
| Course | Native English Speakers | English Language Learners |
|---|---|---|
| Literature/Reading | 24% | 42% |
| Composition/Writing | 28% | 55% |
| Grammar | 38% | 60% |
Grammar poses challenges for all groups. But English language learners show particularly high failure rates across all language arts courses. Reading comprehension and writing skills prove difficult without mastery of English. Targeted instruction and support is critical to overcoming these disparities.
Foreign Language Failure Rates
While all core subjects see failures, foreign language courses are particularly prone to low marks. Languages often represent electives rather than universal requirements. The table below outlines failure rates by language studied:
| Language Course | Failure Rate |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 42% |
| French | 48% |
| German | 55% |
| Latin | 60% |
Spanish has the lowest failure rate, perhaps due to higher interest and relevance. But all language study poses significant challenges. Grammar, vocabulary, and conversational skills require sustained effort to develop. Supporting student motivation and engagement can help boost outcomes.
Failure Rates by Academic Track
Outcomes also differ based on a student’s academic track. The following table outlines variation in failure rates by subject between general education, honors/accelerated, and remedial courses:
| Subject | General | Honors/Accelerated | Remedial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 38% | 22% | 55% |
| Science | 35% | 18% | 48% |
| English | 32% | 15% | 42% |
| History | 28% | 12% | 38% |
Students in remedial courses show markedly higher failure rates across all major disciplines. This suggests they are struggling with foundational concepts and skills. Targeted remediation and academic support is critical for these students.
Trends Over Time
Failure rates also tend to fluctuate over time within subjects. The following chart looks at historical trends in math and reading failure rates:
| Year | Math Failure Rate | Reading Failure Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 29% | 18% |
| 2005 | 31% | 21% |
| 2010 | 37% | 24% |
| 2015 | 39% | 26% |
| 2020 | 41% | 28% |
Over the past two decades, failure rates increased in both subjects. Math failure rates rose 12 percentage points. Reading failure rates rose 10 points. This suggests growing challenges maintaining student proficiency.
Reasons for Failure
Many factors drive failure rates in school subjects. The root causes likely differ across disciplines. Potential contributing factors include:
- Conceptual challenges – Abstract concepts can overwhelm students, particularly in math and science.
- Prerequisite skill deficits – Weak foundational skills undermine student success in later courses.
- Academic disengagement – Boredom and lack of relevance depresses student motivation and effort.
- Weak instruction – Poor teaching fails to provide the support some students need to grasp challenging content.
- Learning disabilities – Conditions like dyslexia directly affect a student’s ability to process information and demonstrate knowledge.
- Language barriers – Students still learning English struggle across academic subjects.
Diagnosing the factors driving failure can guide efforts to support student success. A combination of strategies may be needed, including added instructional support, engaging lesson models, and customized assistance for struggling learners.
Impacts of Failure
High failure rates can significantly impact students and schools:
- Students who fail core courses may struggle to advance to higher grade levels and satisfy graduation requirements. This increases dropout risk.
- Failing grades damage student self-confidence and engagement with school.
- Students held back due to failed courses suffer social consequences with peers.
- High failure rates depress school-wide achievement and accountability outcomes.
- Remedial and repeat courses drive added costs for school systems.
Addressing systemic academic failure requires a major investment of resources. But over the long term, improvements can significantly benefit both students and schools.
Improving Outcomes
Many strategies hold promise for improving student outcomes and reducing failure rates:
- Provide early intervention in foundational skill areas like math and reading to eliminate gaps before students fall behind.
- Increase instructional time and tutoring support in challenged subjects to reinforce lesson mastery.
- Implement targeted assistance for high-risk demographics exhibiting above-average failure rates.
- Develop engaging, culturally relevant curriculum that connects to student experiences.
- Train teachers in high-failure subjects on strategies to make instruction more accessible.
- Lower barriers to enrolling in advanced courses in areas like math and science.
- Bolster counseling and career guidance to highlight the relevance of challenging courses.
A comprehensive, sustained focus on understanding and addressing the drivers of school failure is essential to improving student outcomes. While failure rates remain high, targeted analysis and support strategies can slowly move the needle.
Conclusion
Failure takes a toll on student potential and educational outcomes. Math and science courses present the biggest academic challenges. But high failure rates plague English language arts and foreign language courses as well. Students requiring remedial support show markedly higher failure risk across subjects.
Minority students, those from low-income backgrounds, and English language learners tend to face disproportionate struggles with failed classes. This exacerbates equity gaps in education. Disengagement, skill deficits, and weak instruction all likely contribute to the problem.
Boosting student support in foundational concepts, making instruction more accessible, and intervening early with high-risk learners represent potential improvement strategies. But sustained, systemic efforts will be required to meaningfully move the needle on entrenched patterns of failure.