Devastating new test scores released on Tuesday show only 22% of high school seniors are proficient in math, prompting the Trump administration to announce plans to return education control to individual states.
The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress results paint a grim picture of American education despite decades of increased federal spending. With reading and math scores at historic lows, the White House is challenging what it calls a failed status quo.
According to the assessment, just 31% of eighth-grade students demonstrated proficiency in science. High school seniors fared even worse, with only 35% meeting reading standards — the lowest score on record.
Math proficiency among seniors hit 22%, marking the lowest point since current testing began. These results come despite the Department of Education spending over $3 trillion since 1979, with per-pupil spending increasing by more than 245%.
“Why would we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result?” the White House statement asked.
Standardized test scores have remained flat for decades while U.S. students rank near the bottom among developed nations in critical subjects. The administration argues this demonstrates the failure of federal oversight in education.
Trump’s response involves dismantling what his administration calls a “bloated federal system.” The plan would shift educational authority to states while expanding parental choice through various educational options.
The administration contends individual states are “best equipped to meet the needs of their students.”