Overview:
In 2024, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the nation’s largest continuing measure of student achievement, tested about 23,000 eighth-graders in science, 19,300 twelfth-graders in math, and 24,300 twelfth-graders in reading.
Student performance in key subjects has dropped sharply in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Nation’s Report Card that was released just after midnight. The new results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show average score declines between 2019 and 2024 for eighth graders in science and for twelfth graders in mathematics and reading.
“These results are sobering,” said NCES Acting Commissioner Matthew Soldner. “The drop in overall scores coincides with significant declines in achievement among our lowest-performing students, continuing a downward trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Among our nation’s high school seniors, we’re now seeing a larger percentage of students scoring below the NAEP Basic achievement level in mathematics and reading than in any previous assessment.”
The 2024 results also highlight rising absenteeism with nearly one-third of twelfth graders (31 percent) reported missing three or more days of school in the previous month—up from 26 percent in 2019.
Eighth Grade Science
For the first time since NAEP began tracking science in 2009, average eighth-grade scores fell. Students across performance levels saw declines, with the steepest drops among the lowest performers.
- 31% of eighth graders scored at or above the Proficient level in 2024, four points lower than in 2019.
- 38% scored below the Basic level, five points higher than in 2019.
Scores declined in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, but remained steady in the West. American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, and White students all saw drops. Boys once again outperformed girls after the gap had closed in 2019.
“Layered on top of the eighth-grade NAEP scores we released earlier this year for mathematics and reading, the new science data clearly underscore ongoing struggles for students who are embarking on their high school careers,” Soldner said.
Twelfth Grade Mathematics
Twelfth-grade math scores hit their lowest point since 2005.
- 22% of students reached Proficient, down two points since 2019.
- 45% scored below Basic, five points higher than in both 2019 and 2005.
The South and West saw the largest declines. Scores dropped for Black, Hispanic, and White students alike, and for both boys and girls. Only the highest-performing students avoided significant losses.
Confidence also slipped: 36 percent of twelfth graders said they felt confident in their math skills in 2024, down from 38 percent in 2019. College readiness followed the same trend, with just 33 percent deemed academically prepared—down from 37 percent five years earlier.
Twelfth Grade Reading
Reading performance also declined to its lowest point on record.
- 35% of students scored Proficient or higher, down from 37 percent in 2019 and 40 percent in 1992.
- 32% scored below Basic, up two points since 2019 and 12 points since 1992.
Scores dropped most in the Midwest and South, with female and White students seeing notable declines. While overall achievement slipped, student interest in reading nudged upward: 26 percent reported high enjoyment of reading in 2024, compared with 25 percent in 2019.
College readiness in reading also fell slightly, from 37 percent in 2019 to 35 percent in 2024.
NAEP, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, is the largest continuing assessment of U.S. students’ knowledge and skills. In 2024, approximately 23,000 eighth-graders were assessed in science, 19,300 twelfth graders in math, and 24,300 twelfth-graders in reading.
