US Students' Math and Reading Scores Hit Record Lows

Declining Academic Performance

• 📉 Math and reading proficiency among American high school seniors have reached their lowest levels since the federal government began tracking scores in 2005.
• 📊 Eighth graders also showed low marks in science, with scores four points lower than in 2019, though not measurably different from 2009.
• ⚠️ This downward trend in academic performance predates the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a longer-term issue.

Impact on Lowest Performing Students

• 📉 The reporting highlighted especially significant drops in scores among the lowest performing students.

Political Responses and Education Policy

• 🏛️ Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the results as "sobering" and reiterated the Trump administration's stance for more state and local control of education.
• 🗣️ She argued that these scores support the administration's approach, suggesting that success is not tied to spending but to who controls the funds.
• 🚫 Conversely, Congressman Bobby Scott criticized the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, calling for federal investment in academic recovery.
• ✂️ Scott also pointed out that the administration's budget cuts impacted the very department responsible for conducting and processing these test scores.