In the nationally representative testing, 45% of 12th graders scored below NAEP's basic standard in math and 32% scored below basic in reading, meaning they hadn't demonstrated partial mastery of fundamental skills and knowledge for their grade level. That's the highest share of seniors scoring below basic since NAEP began reporting 12th grade results in 2005 for math and 1992 for reading.
NAEP also released results for 8th grade science testing, which show 38% of students scored below the basic standard in 2024, the highest share since 2009.
The last time NAEP released 12th grade reading and math scores was 2019 so these latest results are the first to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students preparing to leave high school.
They show that scores were down from 2019 at nearly every level of the testing spectrum — from students in the 10th percentile to those in the 90th percentile. And they add evidence of a worrying pattern recently documented by the AP: Girls' math scores have fallen more than boys' since the pandemic.