NAEP Shows Alarming Achievement Declines, Rising Absenteeism: AFC Urges Governors to Opt In To School Choice

Dallas, Texas – The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), or the Nation’s Report Card, reveal steep declines in mathematics, reading, and science proficiency and highlight the urgent need for bold education reform. American Federation for Children CEO Tommy Schultz is calling on governors across the country to take immediate action by opting into the new federal tax credit scholarship.

The 2024 NAEP scores follow the trends seen in fourth- and eighth-grade scores released in January: widening achievement gaps, abysmal performance, and more proof of the empty promise from teachers unions that “kids are resilient.”

Statement from Tommy Schultz, CEO, American Federation for Children:

“The kids are not all right, and this year’s scores prove it yet again. A looming question remains: what are we going to do about it? Every governor in America must opt in to the federal school choice tax credit and inject desperately needed accountability into this system as soon as possible. These scores represent millions of students falling further behind, their promising futures derailed because they are stuck in a system with no real competition.

Teachers unions fought tooth and nail for $190 billion in federal funds to address post-COVID challenges, including learning loss. In return, we continue to see abysmal test scores, rampant absenteeism, and a generation of citizens utterly unprepared for the future. The system has failed our children. School choice offers a solution, and we need to embrace it fully.

Today’s NAEP results are a clarion call for governors to take bold action. By opting in to the federal school choice tax credit, states can immediately empower families with the resources they need to choose the best educational path for their children. Every governor should do so as soon as possible.”

NAEP scores include:

• Grade 8 science: Average scores fell for the first time since 2009, with 38% of students performing below the NAEP Basic level.
• Grade 12 mathematics: Scores reached their lowest point since 2005, with 45% of seniors scoring below the NAEP Basic level.
• Grade 12 reading: Average reading scores dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded, with 32% of students below NAEP Basic and only 35% at or above NAEP Proficient.
• Score declines were seen across nearly all regions and demographic groups, with the sharpest drops among lower-performing students.
• The absenteeism crisis is worsening, with nearly one-third (31%) of twelfth graders reporting missing three or more days of school in a single month, up significantly from 2019 rates.

About AFC:

The American Federation for Children is the nation’s largest school choice advocacy organization and the most successful force for education freedom in America, passing over 200 laws across 32 states throughout our history. Our affiliated Super PAC, AFC Victory Fund, is the only nationwide Super PAC focused on advancing school choice.