Chairman Walberg Responds to Historic Drop in Student Test Scores

Today, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) issued the following statement after the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)-designed to measure student achievement-revealed historic drops in math, science, and reading scores:

"Today's NAEP scores continue to show a devastating decline in math, science, and reading scores. Low academic skills don't just hurt grades, they weaken our economy, workforce, and national security. Without strong foundations in these core subjects, America's freedom and economic competitiveness will be in jeopardy.

"Yet, for years, the Biden-Harris administration implemented an unworkable one-size-fits-all regime that expanded federal bureaucrats' control. In fact, prolonged school closures, driven by teachers unions and Democrats, caused catastrophic damage to students' educational outcomes and success. We continue to see the results of these student-last policies.

"Today's NAEP scores are a tragic reminder of what happens when we fail to put students first. Now, Republicans and the Trump administration are prioritizing students-working to ensure every child gains the skills essential to be successful. This is crucial to America's success."

BACKGROUND

• Reading and math scores for high school seniors were lower in 2024 than ever before; in fact, average grade 12 reading and math scores at every percentile except the 90th are lower compared to 2019.
  • The average reading score for high school seniors is down 10 points compared to 1992.
• The gap between the highest and lowest performing students in grade 8 science is larger than any previous year. The average score and scores at all five percentiles were lower than in 2019.
• Students of both disadvantaged and not disadvantaged income brackets scored lower than in previous years.