by Ethan Faverino | Sep 16, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
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.
by Corinne Murdock | Mar 30, 2023 | Education, News
By Corinne Murdock |
Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Superintendent Tom Horne said that his administration is warring against the mediocrity of the progressive norms defining modern classrooms. These norms include social-emotional learning (SEL) and the replacement of school resource officers (SROs) with social workers.
“There is a war in education between the crusaders for mediocrity and those who want academic vigor,” said Horne. “I am on the side that supports academic rigor, and I hope that the members of the TUSD Board will be too.”
Horne blamed SEL for the years-long decline of test scores. Horne also claimed that some teachers reported having to dedicate up to 40 minutes of class time to SEL, often described to him as entertainment-level activities like “dumb games.” He called teachers who reject SEL prioritization his heroes.
“Our philosophy is that every instructional minute is precious,” said Horne.
Last fall, several reports were issued detailing the steady decline of student outcomes. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed in a report that students suffered severe learning losses in math and nominal losses in reading due to the COVID-19 shutdowns. ADE announced that a majority of Arizona students were still failing the statewide assessment.
According to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, Arizona is ranked 46th in education. This year’s rankings from Scholaroo rated Arizona as last of all 50 states in education when factoring student success, school quality, and school safety.
Horne also cited a study to debunk the claim that SROs don’t mitigate school shootings.
“[I]f a maniac were to invade a school, kill children, and the school chose a social worker as opposed to an armed officer, how do you think the parents of those murdered children would feel about that?” asked Horne.
Horne issued the remarks in a response letter to the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) school board’s criticism of him as “misguided” and claiming his policies cause active harm to students. He said TUSD showed a “frightening hostility” toward orderly classrooms.
Horne has had a lengthy career in education and politics: he served as a school board member for 24 years, the state’s previous attorney general for four years, and as ADE’s superintendent for eight years.
In their criticism issued earlier this month, TUSD Governing Board members Jennifer Eckstrom and Ravi Shah condemned Horne’s redirection of School Safety Grant Program funds to hire more SROs and the superintendent’s purge of SEL from education.
Eckstrom and Shah claimed that SROs didn’t reduce school shootings, but instead disproportionately disciplined minority students while over-disciplining students in general.
“The best way to keep our children safe and to help those who need it most requires us to roll up our sleeves and tackle the problem the hard way: investing in our kids and schools through more counselors, social workers, and other supportive adults; investing the time, energy, and money necessary to engage families as partners in their children’s learning; and developing policies and practices that engage students and correct behaviors before they escalate,” wrote the pair.
Yet, in the most recent school shooting on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee at a private Christian school, local police revealed the shooter — 28-year-old Audrey Hale — had initially intended to target another, unnamed school, but decided against it because it had stronger security. Police also revealed that Hale, believed to identify as a transgender man named Aiden, had a manifesto and may have targeted the school over its Biblical beliefs. Hale, an alumna of the K-6 school, killed three students and three faculty members.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
