US Students’ Academic Decline: A Symptom of Systemic Failures
The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results reveal a continued decline in reading and math scores for high school students, with 12th graders’ scores reaching their lowest levels in over two decades. Eighth-grade students also showed significant losses in science proficiency, indicating a downward trend across multiple grade levels and subjects. Experts note these declines predate the pandemic and point to potential contributing factors such as increased screen time and shifts in teaching methods. Moreover, the achievement gap between highest and lowest performing students widened in both 8th grade science and 12th-grade math.
John Q. Hosedrinker