(NewsNation) — New data from the Department of Education shows American students’ test scores dropped to their lowest level in decades.
The numbers come from tests administered to tens of thousands of students in early 2024 by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Among high school seniors in America, only 22% performed at or above “proficient” in math, and only 35% performed at or above “proficient” in reading. Eighth graders also did not fare well in science, with only 31% of students being at or above “proficient.”
This is the lowest level since the federal government started tracking scores in those subjects in 2005. The data reveals that education continues to dip in the U.S., a trend that started long before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matthew Soldner, the acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, called the results “sobering.”
In the reading category for high school seniors, the average score was 283, about two points lower than the score in 2019. The math category also showed a dip from 2019’s score, going from 150 to 147 in 2024. In science for eighth graders, the average score was 150, down 4 points from 2019’s 154, but not different from the 2009 scores.
The scores also come amid significant changes from the federal government and how it’s organizing the Department of Education. The Trump administration has made cuts to the department, with President Donald Trump saying he wants to eliminate the agency for good.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon released a video sharing her thoughts on the latest report, calling it concerning, but she said she and President Trump have been advocating for more state and local control of education for this very reason.
“This trend did not begin with COVID, it goes back a decade,” McMahon said. “Clearly, success isn’t about how much money we spend, but who spends it.”
In a statement to NewsNation, Virginia Rep. Robert Scott, the top Democrat on the House Education Committee, also said the report was “troubling” but added he believes that it shows the country still needs federal investment in education.