On Tuesday, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) released the first postpandemic results from the Nation’s Report Card for 8th grade science and 12th grade reading and math. Scores declined across all three subjects, with the steepest drops among America’s lowest-performing students—a concerning, but unsurprising, result.
Key Takeaways
12th Grade Reading and Math: Both subjects saw average scores fall to their lowest points since the assessments began.
- In reading, 32% of students scored below the NAEP Basic level—a 12 point increase from 1992. In math, nearly half of seniors (45%) scored below Basic, the greatest proportion for any NAEP administration.
8th Grade Science: For the first time since 2009, average scores declined, with significant drops for students at the 10th and 25th percentiles. Only 31% of 8th graders performed at or above Proficient.
Absenteeism: Nearly one-third of high school seniors reported missing three or more days of school in the prior month, up from 26% in 2019.
Why it Matters
While the declines reflect long-standing trends predating the pandemic, they also underscore the urgent need to rethink how we prepare students for success after high school. Only one-third of seniors met NAEP’s benchmarks for college readiness in either math or reading.
As NAGB Executive Director Lesley Muldoon noted in her reflection on the data, the stakes couldn’t be higher: without stronger preparation in math, science, and literacy, students’ pathways to meaningful careers and civic engagement narrow dramatically.
What’s next: On Thursday, September 18, the Senate HELP committee will hold a hearing on the state of K-12 and the NAEP results. You can watch the hearing live here.
Our team will continue to track these trends closely and highlight how states, districts, and partners are responding with urgency and innovation. Questions? Reach out to us.
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