By: Dennis Richmond, Jr.
Across America, millions of teens walk into high schools every morning carrying backpacks, Chromebooks and expectations about college, careers and adulthood. Yet behind graduation ceremonies and college acceptance announcements is an uncomfortable reality: too many American teens are reaching the end of high school without mastering fundamental reading and mathematics skills. The latest national numbers suggest this is no longer a COVID problem. It is an education crisis.
According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card, the average reading score for 12th graders dropped three points from 2019 and stood 10 points below the average recorded in 1992. The National Assessment Governing Board reported that the 2024 average was the lowest ever recorded for 12th-grade reading.
The numbers become even more alarming when we examine what students can do. According to the Nation’s Report Card, 32 percent of 12th graders scored below NAEP Basic in reading in 2024, the largest percentage recorded since the assessment began. Only 35 percent performed at or above NAEP Proficient. In mathematics, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 45 percent of 12th graders scored below NAEP Basic, while just 22 percent reached or exceeded NAEP Proficient. NAEP Proficient is not the same as a state’s definition of performing at grade level, but the direction of the national results remains deeply concerning.
This problem does not suddenly appear during senior year. According to the National Assessment Governing Board, 33 percent of eighth graders scored below NAEP Basic in reading in 2024, the largest percentage ever recorded. These are students entering high school at a time when they are expected to analyze increasingly complex texts, construct evidence-based arguments, understand historical documents and prepare for college-level work.
The college-readiness numbers offer another warning. According to ACT, nearly 1.4 million members of the Class of 2025 took the ACT, but only 30 percent met at least three of the organization’s four College Readiness Benchmarks. ACT reported that just 29 percent met its mathematics benchmark and 39 percent met its reading benchmark.
These statistics represent more than disappointing test scores. Reading and mathematics follow young people into nearly every part of adult life, from understanding employment paperwork and financial agreements to completing workforce training and succeeding in college. Handing students diplomas without confronting major academic weaknesses does not solve the problem.
America’s students deserve high expectations, intensive academic intervention, meaningful tutoring, strong teachers, consistent attendance and families who receive clear information about academic progress. Graduation should represent preparation, not simply completion. If America wants young adults prepared to compete, work, vote, lead and build successful lives, it can’t wait until graduation day to discover that our kids are going to be left behind.
Dennis Richmond, Jr. (@NewYorkStakz) is a journalist, historian, and educator from Yonkers, NY. He writes to uplift unheard voices, honor history, and inspire change.