NAEP scores – Misryoum reports NAEP results show major declines in math and reading for 12th graders, with fewer deemed college ready.
A national snapshot of academic readiness has dimmed for the Class of 2024, with major declines on a key test in both math and reading.
Misryoum reports that results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for 12th graders show lower overall performance in math and reading compared with prior assessments.. The declines were not limited to middle-performing students; except for the highest achievers. scores fell across much of the range. and gaps widened—particularly in math between high- and low-performing students.
This matters because NAEP is often used as a consistent benchmark over time. When results drop broadly and disparities grow, it signals that learning challenges are becoming more entrenched rather than isolated.
The assessment released in September reflects students’ academic progress months before graduation.. Officials said many test-takers reported college acceptance. yet the results suggest a substantial share are not meeting the bar usually associated with being academically ready for college-level work.. Testing officials estimate college readiness in math declined compared with earlier cohorts, even as reported college intentions remained high.
Misryoum notes that the current pattern follows similar signals from earlier NAEP results at the elementary and middle-school levels.. NAEP officials also point to worsening conditions for students outside the classroom. including disruptions that preceded and followed the pandemic era.. A student’s readiness is not determined by test day alone. and these findings suggest that instruction and opportunity may have shifted in ways that students felt long after classrooms reopened.
Even so, it is not only about averages. Widening gaps between students at the top and those at the lower end mean the system is sorting learners less effectively, leaving more students behind as expectations for future work and civic life keep rising.
In math, NAEP measures performance across several areas, from algebra and geometry to data, statistics, and probability.. Misryoum reports that the lowest average math score since the early 2000s accompanied higher proportions scoring below the Basic level.. In reading. scores also fell to levels not previously seen in recent history. with fewer students reaching the higher performance threshold typically associated with more complex comprehension and reasoning.
Students’ responses on related surveys added more context to the academic picture.. Misryoum reports that more students than in 2019 indicated missing multiple days of school in the month leading up to the test. a factor that is closely linked to lower achievement on NAEP and other assessments.. Students also reported shifts in confidence and course-taking patterns, including lower reported confidence in both math and reading.
At the policy level, Misryoum says these results have reignited debate about what should happen next in U.S.. education.. NAEP data can help guide improvements. but the central challenge is whether states and districts can convert measurement into effective. targeted learning support—especially for students most at risk of falling further behind.