Nearly Half of U.S. 12th Graders Lack Basic Math Skills

 A new report from the U.S. Department of Education has raised alarm bells about the state of American education. According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called “the nation’s report card”, nearly 50% of 12th graders lack basic math skills, and about one-third struggle with basic reading comprehension.

Lowest Scores Ever Recorded

The latest NAEP report, conducted with tens of thousands of students nationwide, revealed that both math and reading scores for 12th graders have dropped to their lowest levels on record.

  • In reading, two-thirds of students could identify the purpose of a persuasive essay, but only 1 in 5 could draw conclusions from the data presented.

  • In math, around 60% could calculate population using area and density data, but fewer than half were able to correctly translate a real-world problem into an algebraic expression.

Proficiency Levels Declining

The share of students considered proficient fell to 35% in reading and just 22% in math — both down two percentage points compared to 2019. This decline continues a downward trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Widening Knowledge Gap

Experts warn that the knowledge gap is widening: students who were already struggling are falling further behind, while high-achievers continue to move ahead. The gap between the top and bottom performers has grown more noticeable across the country.

The report also highlighted that female students’ scores have dropped faster than male students’.

Implications for the Future Workforce

“These students are stepping into adulthood with fewer basic skills than their peers from just a decade ago,” said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the NAEP Governing Board. “And this is happening precisely at a time when rapid advances in technology and society are demanding more from our workforce and citizens — not less.”

What’s Behind the Decline?

Researchers emphasize that multiple factors, both inside and outside the classroom, affect student performance. Pinpointing a single cause for the nationwide drop is difficult — but the data makes clear that U.S. education is facing a serious challenge.

source: Newsweek, WSJ
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