Based
on September 2025 releases of the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) (the Nation’s Report Card) assessing early 2024 data,
U.S. 12th-grade public school students are scoring at historic lows in reading
and math. Nearly half of high school seniors tested below basic levels in math
(45%) and about one-third in reading, marking a continued decline in core
academic proficiency.
Key Findings on 2024-2025 Test Results:
Historic Lows: Twelfth-grade reading scores reached their lowest point in the history of the assessment (since 1992), while math scores hit their lowest since 2005.
Wide Achievement Gaps: Performance, particularly for the lowest-achieving students (bottom 10%), has fallen sharply across all demographics and economic statuses.
Long-term Decline: The decline in scores began before the pandemic, with reading scores peaking in 2013-2015.
Performance by School Type: While traditional public school scores dropped, some reports noted that charter school students did not experience the same decline.
Contributing Factors: Experts point to increased chronic absenteeism, high smartphone/social media usage, and declining academic engagement.
Key Statistics:
Math: Only 33% of 12th graders are considered prepared for college-level math.
Reading: 35% of seniors performed at or above the "proficient" level.
Science: 8th-grade
science scores dropped 4 points since 2019.
The data highlights a significant "five-alarm fire for America's children", with calls for urgent intervention for low-performing students.
As of 2026, U.S. public school students are facing record-low academic performance, with assessments showing a majority of students are not scoring at grade level in core subjects.
National Performance Data
Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation's Report Card, indicates that academic achievement has fallen to its lowest point in decades:
12th Grade Math: Only 22% of high school seniors are proficient; 45% scored below the basic level.
12th Grade Reading: Only 35% are proficient, with 32% failing to meet even basic literacy standards.
8th Grade Science: Only 31% of students reached the proficient level.
Middle School Decline: Average scores for 13-year-olds fell 4 points in reading and 9 points in math compared to the 2019–20 school year.
Key
Contributing Factors
Educational reports and experts identify several systemic issues driving these declines:
Widening Achievement Gap: The performance gap between the highest- and lowest-performing students is at its widest point in history.
Chronic Absenteeism: High rates of student absences since the pandemic continue to hinder academic recovery.
Resource Disparities: While per-pupil spending reached record highs (averaging $17,700 in 2025), significant funding inequities persist between states and districts.
Misaligned Perception: There is a "perception gap" where 90% of parents believe their child is at grade level, despite objective data showing only about one-third actually are.
Current Initiatives & Outlook
Science of Reading: Over 44 states have passed literacy laws as of early 2026, with 2026 seen as a critical year for the implementation of these science-of-reading reforms.
2026 Testing Cycle: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is currently administering the 2026 NAEP assessments for 4th and 8th graders between January and March 2026 to track ongoing recovery.
Projected Enrollment: Public school enrollment is projected to continue its decline, dropping to an estimated 46.9 million by 2031 as families increasingly move toward private and charter alternatives.
https://www.google.com/search?q=us+public+school+students+not+scoring+at+grade+level+in+2026+google
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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