Decline in Science, Mathematics, and Reading Performance According to the Latest Nation's Report
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests, conducted between January and March 2024, have revealed a concerning decline in student performance across various subjects and grade levels.
The tests, which cover subjects like math, reading, and science for students in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades, assessed students' reading comprehension skills and surveyed them about opportunities to learn and engage with reading in and outside school.
The results showed a dip in the reading scores for 12th-graders, except among the highest-achieving students, compared with 2019. Twelfth-grade math scores dropped the same amount as reading scores and were 3 points lower than in 2005. Eighth-graders' science scores have fallen 4 points since 2019, and 12th-graders' math and reading scores have fallen 3 points in the same time period.
The decline in scores was observed across low- and high-performing students alike in eighth-grade science. Similarly, a smaller share of eighth-graders indicated high levels of confidence in their science skills compared with 2019.
Nearly one-third of 12th-graders reported missing three or more days of school in the month prior to taking the assessment in 2024, an increase from 2019.
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the arm of the U.S. Education Department charged with measuring student achievement, has had more than half its workers laid off. As a result, the current staff numbers for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which manages the Nation's Report Card, have been significantly reduced.
The U.S. Education Department has had significant staff cuts, leaving only two senior staffers assigned to NAEP. However, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has approved a waiver to add at least eight staff positions before the end of the year to meet congressional testing mandates in 2026 and 2028.
The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), an independent, nonpartisan organization made up of state and local representatives, slashed about a dozen planned assessments, including fourth-grade science, 12th-grade U.S. history and writing across fourth-, eighth- and 12th-graders, that were scheduled to be administered over the next seven years.
Despite the challenges, Marty West, who is on the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and is vice chair of the NAGB, is confident in the department's ability to meet NAEP deadlines moving forward.
Matthew Soldner, acting director of IES, expressed concern about the continued decline in scores for low-performing students, which began more than a decade ago. The U.S. Education Department canceled about a dozen national and state assessments of student progress through 2032, about half of which were planned for 12th-graders.
Compared with NAEP's first 12th-grade reading assessment, in 1992, today's average score is 10 points lower. The 2024 reading scores dipped for 12th-graders, except among the highest-achieving students, compared with 2019.
The decline in student achievement scores raises questions about the effectiveness of current educational policies and the need for reform. The NAGB and IES will continue to monitor student progress and provide recommendations for improvement.
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