Secretary McMahon Statement on New Nation’s Report Card Scores for Grades 8 and 12

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon released the following statement in response to the public release of the scores from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called The Nation's Report Card, for 8th grade science and 12th grade reading and mathematics:

"Today's NAEP results confirm a devastating trend: American students are testing at historic lows across all of K-12. At a critical juncture when students are about to graduate and enter the workforce, military, or higher education, nearly half of America's high school seniors are testing at below basic levels in math and reading. Despite spending billions annually on numerous K-12 programs, the achievement gap is widening, and more high school seniors are performing below the basic benchmark in math and reading than ever before.

The lesson is clear. Success isn't about how much money we spend, but who controls the money and where that money is invested. That's why President Trump and I are committed to returning control of education to the states so they can innovate and meet each school and students' unique needs.

If America is going to remain globally competitive, students must be able to read proficiently, think critically, and graduate equipped to solve complex problems. We owe it to them to do better."