NAEP Report: Declining Academic Performance Among High School Students
The latest results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) show a continued decline in high school students' reading and math performance, with 12th graders achieving their lowest scores in over 20 years. Eighth graders also experienced a significant drop in science skills. These results, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight a broader trend of decreasing academic achievement across grade levels and subjects.
Experts suggest that the pandemic exacerbated existing challenges in education, but the declining scores are part of a longer-term trend. Factors such as increased screen time, shortened attention spans, and changes in reading habits may contribute to the decline in student performance. The shift towards shorter texts and fewer books in English and language arts instruction could also impact students' reading abilities.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the need for states to have more control over education spending in response to the widening achievement gap and the increasing number of high school seniors performing below basic benchmarks in math and reading. The NAEP scores indicate that more students are not meeting basic achievement levels across subjects, which could have long-term implications for their future success.
The latest assessment results reveal that the average reading score in 2024 was the lowest in the history of the assessment, while the math score was the lowest since 2005. A significant percentage of high school seniors scored below basic achievement levels in both subjects. The widening achievement gap and the decline in college readiness for math courses underscore the challenges facing the education system.
The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses also re-emerged in the latest assessments, with girls experiencing a steeper decline in scores compared to boys. This trend highlights the need to address disparities in STEM education and ensure equal opportunities for all students. The NAEP results serve as a call to action for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to prioritize student learning and address the underlying factors contributing to declining academic performance.