New Report Card Data Confirms We Can, And Must, Do Better on Education

New Report Card Data Confirms We Can, And Must, Do Better on EducationThe 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed alarming results, showing deep problems in U.S. education:Only 31% of 8th graders are proficient in science.Just 22% of high school seniors are proficient in math — the lowest since measurements began.Only 35% of seniors are proficient in reading — the lowest score on record.Despite the Department of Education spending over $3 trillion since 1979 and per-student spending rising 245%, overall student performance has remained flat, with U.S. students ranking near the bottom globally in math and other critical subjects.The Trump Administration argues this confirms decades of failure by the federal education system. Its plan is to return control to individual states, empower parents with school choice, and move away from what it describes as a “bloated federal system” in order to raise achievement and create better opportunities for students.