As previously reported by AFN, students in the 8th grade lost significant ground in science and 12th graders in reading and math, according to the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) report.
The 8th grader’s national average science score was four points less than the score in 2019, and the national average of reading scores and math scores for 12th graders in 2024 was lower than the scores in 2019 by three points.
Multiple factors are attributed this fall in test scores. Speculation has arisen that this is a lasting effect from Covid-19 closing down schools and attributing to prolong student absences. Otherwise, shorter attention spans, increased screen time, and decreased reading are also attributing to the loss shown in student testing.
Neal McCluskey, director for the Center for Educational Freedom at Cato Institute, says it indicates that the public school systems is not working well.
"It's important to note that standardized test scores don't capture a lot of things that are important in education. So, while this is a bad indicator, it's important to keep in mind that other things can also be important that schools are teaching,” says McCluskey.
According to AP News, Education Secretary Linda McMahon argues that the scores show why the Trump administration wants to give states more control over education.
McCluskey says that the Democrats' argument, that the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down the Education Department will only hurt students further, is misleading.
"That's a tough argument to make, in particular, because the Department of Education really is a pass-through for money. It takes money from people who live in states and in school districts, pulls it up, burns a bunch off in bureaucracy, then sends in back. It doesn't actually educate anybody,” McCluskey says.
