Exactly. Starting back in the 90s, schools started not holding children back. Social promotion is what they called it. They even outlawed the letter F on report cards because the very connotation hurt kids' feelings (which also starts with F but apparently that was lost on them and nobody had to read it).

Kids are just pushed through until they're given a piece of paper they can't read.

Of all my kids' friends, I can't honestly tell you about more than 2 that have what we would call a reasonable level of math, reading and writing skill.