The U.S. Department of Education released the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, known as the Nation’s Report Card, revealing historic lows in academic performance for eighth and twelfth-grade students in science, mathematics, and reading.
The data highlights persistent post-pandemic challenges and a widening achievement gap, prompting U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to call for a transformative shift in education policy.
“Today’s NAEP results confirm a devastating trend,” said Secretary McMahon in a statement released by the U.S. Department of Education. “American students are testing at historic lows across all of K-12. At a critical juncture when students are about to graduate and enter the workforce, military, or higher education, nearly half of America’s high school seniors are testing at below basic levels in math and reading. Despite spending billions annually on numerous K-12 programs, the achievement gap is widening, and more high school seniors are performing below the basic benchmark in math and reading than ever before.”
The 2024 NAEP results show significant declines in average scores compared to 2019:
8th Grade Science: The average score for eighth graders dropped for the first time since 2009, with 38% performing below the NAEP Basic level, a five-point increase from 2019. Only 31% scored at or above the Proficient level, down four points from 2019.
12th Grade Mathematics: The average score hit its lowest point since 2005, with 45% of twelfth graders scoring below Basic, a five-point increase from 2019. Only 22% achieved Proficient or above, which is down two points.
12th Grade Reading: The average score fell below all previous assessments since 1992, with 32% of twelfth graders below Basic, up two points from 2019, and 35% at or above Proficient, down two points again.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2020-2021 school year, the United States (between local, state, and federal governments) spent $18,614 per student enrolled. This totals $927 billion in expenditures between public elementary and secondary schools.
Secretary McMahon added, “The lesson is clear. Success isn’t about how much money we spend, but who controls the money and where that money is invested. That’s why President Trump and I are committed to returning control of education to the states so they can innovate and meet each school and student’s unique needs.”
The data highlights a growing achievement gap, with lower-performing students at the 10th and 25th percentiles showing significant declines, while scores for the highest performers remained stable.
The report also reveals a rise in absenteeism, with 31% of twelfth graders missing three or more school days in the past month, up 26% from 2019. Additionally, only 33% of twelfth graders were deemed academically prepared for college in mathematics and 35% in reading, down from 37% in both subjects in 2019.
The NAEP assessments, conducted from January to March 2024, involved approximately 23,000 eighth graders in science and 43,600 twelfth graders in mathematics and reading. The results provide a snapshot of student performance across public and private schools.
Secretary McMahon emphasized the need for action across the U.S., saying, “If America is going to remain globally competitive, students must be able to read proficiently, think critically, and graduate equipped to solve complex problems. We owe it to them to do better.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
A new report from the Common Sense Institute (CSI) revealed a crisis in Arizona’s district public school system, marked by declining enrollment, expanding infrastructure, and misallocated resources that fail to serve students effectively.
Despite a 5% drop in district school enrollment since 2019, Arizona’s public-school districts have continued to expand facilities, increase capital spending by 67% to $8.9 billion, and boost transportation costs by 11.3% to $561.2 million, even as eligible bus riders plummeted by 45%.
As Arizona’s population surged, districts expanded, constructing thousands of school buildings, hiring teachers, and extending bus routes to accommodate a growing student body.
Since peaking in 2008 with 931,000 students, district school enrollment has steadily declined, dropping to 859,519 students by 2024—a 5% decline since 2019 alone.
According to the report, this trend is accelerating, driven by demographic shifts and changing parental preferences.
Arizona’s school-aged population (ages 5–17) shrank for the first time in 2022, with a loss of 30,000 children by 2023.
Meanwhile, school choice has reshaped the educational landscape with 40% of incoming kindergarteners now opting for charter or private schools, which operate with leaner facilities and no formal transportation systems.
In the meantime, Arizona’s district schools have doubled down on expansion. Since 2019, districts added 499 new buildings, increasing gross square footage by 3% to 148.6 million square feet—78 million square feet more than needed, enough to accommodate 630,000 additional students.
The fastest-shrinking districts have increased capital spending the most, with 20% of districts (serving 73% of students) receiving 81% of capital funding.
Math proficiency in Arizona’s district schools fell 25% since 2019, and English proficiency dropped 5%, according to NAEP assessments.
Staffing has grown by 1.5% to 108,330 employees, with teacher salaries rising 24.1% to $65,113, yet class sizes remain stable at 17.7 students per teacher.
Administrative staffing has surged 6.7% since 2019, outpacing classroom staff growth, but these investments have not translated into academic gains.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona has officially become the first state in the nation to ban ultra-processed foods in public schools. Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2164, also known as the Arizona Healthy Schools Act, into law this week after it passed both chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The law will take effect in the 2026–2027 school year and applies to all schools that participate in federally funded or assisted meal programs. It prohibits schools from serving, selling, or allowing third-party vendors to offer ultra-processed foods during the normal school day.
Ultra-processed foods are defined under the law as any food or beverage containing one or more of 11 specific additives, including potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil, and synthetic dyes such as red dye 40, yellow dye 5, and blue dye 1. These ingredients have faced mounting scrutiny due to potential links to behavioral issues, allergic reactions, and even cancer risks.
Importantly, the law does not restrict what parents or guardians may provide for their own children. However, it places full responsibility on schools to eliminate the sale or provision of these additives through lunches, vending machines, snack bars, and school stores during the school day.
State Representative Leo Biasiucci (R-LD30), a leading sponsor of the bill, celebrated the signing in a post on X: “My bill, HB2164: banning of ultra processed foods in school meals, was just signed into law in Arizona!”
Breaking News! My bill, HB2164: banning of ultra processed foods in school meals, was just signed into law in Arizona! #MAHApic.twitter.com/s2kVcMCUGc
Under the new law, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is tasked with implementing a compliance system. This includes publishing a standardized form for schools to certify adherence and posting a public list of compliant schools on the ADE website.
Arizona schools are already required to meet federal guidelines on school meals through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. These standards limit calories, sodium, unhealthy fats, and mandate the inclusion of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. HB 2164 builds on those efforts by targeting a set of food additives that are not currently prohibited by federal rules.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee noted that the administrative impact of the law on ADE would be minimal and can be handled by existing staff. With the law now on the books, Arizona is poised to become a national leader in school nutrition policy—placing children’s health and safety at the center of its education system.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
A bill requring schools to use students’ real names and biological pronouns is making its way through the Arizona legislature.
SB 1002, sponsored by Arizona Senator John Kavanagh (LD-3), would prohibit school districts, charter schools employees, or independent contractors from referring to any student by a pronoun differing from their biological sex or a name other than their legal name without parental consent. It also prevents a school district or charter school from requiring an employee or independent contractor to use a pronoun that differs from a person’s biological sex, if doing so is contrary to their convictions.
The bill has moved to the Arizona House of Representatives where it awaits approval by the caucuses and a final vote.
Explaining the bill in a video, Sen. Kavanagh said that his bill “has to do with school staff and teachers using a pronoun or a nickname for a student that is not aligned with that student’s biological sex. The bill says that no school personnel can call a student by such an inappropriate pronoun or nickname unless the parents consent. And in addition when the parents do consent, no school employee can be forced to call the person by the pronoun that does not align with their biological sex if it violates the employee’s religious or moral beliefs.”
He continued, “This is important because students that want to be called by a different name or pronoun than their biological sex, or so-called transgendered students, many of them have a condition called gender dysphoria, which causes a lot of anxiety, sometimes even suicidal thoughts. So, the parents may know about this and may have the child under psychiatric care and the child’s doctor may have told the parents do not entertain a different pronoun or name that’s different from the from the child’s real sex because it could harm the child. So, we certainly don’t want school personnel harming children and threatening their psychological well-being or driving them to suicide. So, we’re going to require parental permission because also it’s a matter of parents’ rights. Parents determine what’s good for their children, not a school staff member or a school teacher, however well-meaning they may be.”
As noted in the text of the bill, Arizona’s Parental Bill of Rights “reserves parental rights to a parent of a minor child without interference from the state, a political subdivision or other governmental entity or any other institution.” Among the rights enshrined in the laws A.R.S. §§ 1-601 and 1-602 are parental rights to direct their children’s “education, upbringing and moral or religious training,” and making healthcare decisions on their behalf.
Arizona lawmakers are advancing a series of bills aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and taxpayer protection. These measures tackle issues ranging from government spending on elections to school board meetings and travel, with a focus on ensuring that public funds are used responsibly and efficiently. With strong support from various groups, these bills reflect ongoing concerns about how taxpayer money is spent and how local government actions are conducted.
One of the most significant pieces of proposed legislation, HB2722, is backed by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and sponored by Rep. Neal Carter (R-LD15). The bill seeks to prevent taxpayers from indirectly subsidizing private businesses through government gifts. Specifically, it targets “gift clauses” in state and local government contracts, which some argue allow for inappropriate use of taxpayer funds to benefit private entities.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has been vocal about the need for stronger protections against such expenditures. The organization has stated that this bill is necessary to curb the growing trend of government spending on private corporations without clear public benefit.
“Taxpayers should not be used as a backdoor financing mechanism for private companies,” said Arizona Free Enterprise Club officials. “This bill is about ensuring that public dollars are spent in a way that directly benefits the public, not private interests.” If passed, this bill would create stricter guidelines on how public funds can be spent and would allow taxpayers to hold officials accountable when misused funds are discovered.
Another bill making its way through the Arizona legislature is SB1036, supported by the Goldwater Institute and sponosred by Sen. John Kavanagh (R-LD3). This bill targets government spending on influencing elections, a topic that has sparked considerable debate in recent years. SB1036 would create a private right of action for taxpayers, allowing individuals to sue if they believe government funds are being spent on efforts that influence an election. This would make it easier for citizens to challenge the use of taxpayer money in elections, particularly when the spending appears to be partisan or otherwise improper.
The Goldwater Institute has argued that taxpayers have a right to ensure their money isn’t used to sway political outcomes. According to a recent report by the organization, there have been multiple instances of local governments spending taxpayer funds to advocate for policies that align with political interests, which has raised concerns about government overreach.
“Governments should not be using taxpayer money to influence the political process,” said Goldwater Institute officials. “This bill provides taxpayers with the ability to stand up for their rights and ensure public resources are not misused.”
Another bill, HB2169, which was introduced by Representative Matthew Gress (R-LD4), seeks to address transparency within Arizona’s public school districts. The bill would require school board meetings to be held in public facilities within the district, ensuring that they are easily accessible to the communities they serve. Additionally, the bill mandates that school boards must receive public approval before engaging in out-of-state travel, making it more difficult for administrators to make costly decisions without community oversight.
This legislation gained near-unanimous support, with proponents arguing that it ensures greater accountability for how public schools operate and how funds are spent. Critics of the current system have pointed to examples of school board members using taxpayer money for luxury travel without clear, public approval or benefit. A notable incident involved a local school district that faced backlash after spending taxpayer funds on extravagant trips while simultaneously requesting additional funding from voters for educational needs.
“Public education is about serving the community,” said Representative Gress in a statement. “We need to make sure that the actions of school boards are always in the public interest. This bill strengthens public trust in our school systems.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
