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The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, a nationwide test given in 2024, has revealed some troubling news about the state of American education. The results show a serious drop in performance across the board. Only 31% of eighth graders are considered proficient in science. Just 22% of high school seniors are proficient in math — the lowest score ever recorded since this test began. And only 35% of high school seniors are proficient in reading, another all-time low.
Here’s the bigger picture: since 1979, the U.S. Department of Education has spent more than $3 trillion. Per-student spending has gone up by over 245%. Yet, despite all of that money, test scores have stayed flat for decades. In fact, U.S. students continue to rank near the bottom compared to other developed nations in key subjects like math.
So the question is this: why would we keep doing the same thing if it’s not working?
Many leaders are now pushing for change. The idea is to give states more control, since they are closer to the students and their needs. At the same time, parents are being given more options to guide and support their children’s education. The goal is simple: better results for America’s students.
