High school seniors' math, reading scores declining, national report says

High school seniors’ math and reading comprehension are on the decline, according to a national report.

The National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education, administered the National Assessment of Educational Progress to a sample of students from 1,500 schools throughout the country from January to March 2024.

A report detailing the results of the assessment, called the Nation’s Report Card, was released recently.

About 24,300 seniors were tested on reading and 19,300 were assessed in math.

The average reading scores for seniors were three points lower than in 2019 — the last time the assessment took place — and 10 points lower than in 1992, the first time the test was given.

Average math scores showed a similar decline — three points lower than in 2019 as well as in 2005, the first time the math test was administered. Scores for the senior class were scaled out of 500 points for reading and 300 for math.

The 2024 data also showed a decline in the percentage of seniors achieving a proficient or higher score.

About 35% of seniors scored proficient or above in reading — down from 37% in 2019 and 40% in 1992. In math, 22% of seniors achieved that score — down from 24% in 2019 and 23% in 2005.

More seniors also scored below basic in 2024 than in previous years, according to the report.

In reading, 32% of seniors scored below basic — up from 30% in 2019 and 20% in 1992.

In math, 45% achieved that score — up from 40% in 2019 and 39% in 2005.

The National Center for Education Statistics defined what a basic score reflects.

In reading, students scoring basic can locate and identify relevant details in the text to support comprehension. A basic score in math is reflective of a student who can determine probabilities of simple events from two-way tables and verbal descriptions.

The Nation’s Report Card represents a sample of students throughout the country.

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment — for students in grades 3 to 8 — and Keystone Exam — for students in grades 9 to 11 enrolled in Algebra 1, biology or literature — are administered to eligible students in every public school in the state, according to the state Department of Education.

About 63% of Keystone takers scored proficient or above in literature in 2024 — down about 8.5% from 2019, according to the Department of Education. While 12% scored below basic in 2024, about 9.5% achieved that score in 2019.

About 41.5% scored proficient or above in Algebra 1 in 2024, which falls in stark contrast to the nearly 63.5% who achieved that score in 2019. Nearly 20% scored below basic in 2024 — almost double from 2019.

Math and reading scores also saw a drop in 2024 among fourth and eighth grade students, according to the Nation’s Report Card.