By: Stacy M. Brown, Black Press USA

The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveal troubling declines in academic performance among U.S. students, with twelfth-graders posting lower scores in reading and mathematics and eighth-graders showing setbacks in science.In reading, the 2024 national average for twelfth-graders was three points lower than in 2019, and ten points lower than when the assessment was first administered in 1992.

Scores fell across nearly all percentiles, with only the highest-performing students at the 90th percentile holding steady. The percentage of students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level declined to 35 percent in 2024, compared to 37 percent in 2019, while 32 percent of students scored below the NAEP Basic level.

Mathematics results tell a similar story. The average score for twelfth graders in 2024 dropped three points from 2019 and stood three points lower than in 2005, the year the current trend line began. Scores declined across nearly all percentiles except the 90th. Just 24 percent of twelfth graders scored at or above Proficient in 2024, while 40 percent scored below Basic, up from 37 percent in 2019. Eighth-grade science results also fell sharply. The 2024 average score was four points lower than in 2019, with declines across all five reported percentiles. Thirty-eight percent of eighth graders scored below the Basic level, compared to 33 percent in 2019. Students from nearly every demographic and parental education group saw declines, particularly at the lower percentiles. Confidence in science ability also fell, with fewer students reporting that they “definitely” could perform key science tasks.

Further, African American students remain disproportionately represented among lower performers nationally. Across reading, mathematics, and science, they continue to score below the overall national average, with larger percentages falling below the NAEP Basic level and fewer reaching Proficient or Advanced. Although overall national scores declined in 2024, the long-standing gap between African American students and their White and Asian peers has not narrowed.

The assessments, administered between January and March 2024, covered tens of thousands of students nationwide. Reading and math were given to twelfth graders, while science was assessed at the eighth-grade level. In addition to academic content, students completed questionnaires about learning opportunities, absenteeism, and engagement, data that NAEP officials say may help explain trends. NAEP, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, is the largest continuing and nationally representative measure of U.S. student achievement. The results are closely watched by educators, policymakers, and researchers as indicators of how students are faring and where learning gaps are widening.