Recent NAEP scores reveal declines in science, math, and reading among U.S. students, with scores dropping since 2019, amid federal education budget cuts and assessment schedule changes, highlighting ongoing challenges in American education.
Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles acknowledged that the district performed poorly in the recently released STAAR test results, with reading scores dropping at every grade level except sixth grade. He highlighted the low proficiency in core subjects and the persistent achievement gap between white, Black, and Hispanic students. Miles emphasized the need for improvement and outlined plans to address the achievement gap, enhance quality instruction, and prepare students for the future through the New Education System schools. He also stressed the importance of language comprehension and the benefits of dual language education.
National test scores for 13-year-olds in the US show major drops in math and reading scores, with the average reading score back to where it was in 2004 and the average math score back to the 1990 level. Scores fell the most for students already at the bottom of the scale, and students of all races and ethnicities fell in math. The pandemic has exacerbated the decline in student performance, and action is needed to identify effective methods for teachers and schools.
National test results show that math scores among 13-year-olds in the US have had the largest drop since assessments began in 1973, with a 9-point decline from 280 to 271. Reading scores also dropped by 4 points from 260 to 256. While the pandemic has exacerbated the decline, the results show that the decline began pre-pandemic. The Biden administration is encouraging states to use their American Rescue Plan funds to support academic recovery and learning loss. Some lawmakers argue that the results strengthen the case for school choice.
National test scores for 13-year-olds in the US have shown the largest drop in math in 50 years and no signs of academic recovery following the disruptions of the pandemic. Student scores plunged nine points in math and four points in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often regarded as the nation’s report card. The average math score is now the same as it was in 1990, while the average reading score is the same as it was in 2004. The hardest hit were the lowest-performing students, and students from all regions of the country and of all races and ethnicities lost ground in math.