U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has expressed concern following the release of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results. The new data indicate that 12th-grade students are graduating with the lowest recorded levels of math and reading knowledge since NAEP began tracking these metrics. The downward trend continues a pattern already seen in earlier assessments for 4th and 8th graders. Additionally, 8th-grade science scores have returned to levels last seen in 2009.
“These scores clearly show the K-12 system is failing children and families. Students are leaving high school unable to read and unprepared for the workforce,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We are at risk of having an entire generation of children fail to become productive adults if classroom proficiency does not improve.”
“President Trump and Secretary McMahon are committed to reforming our broken education system to prioritize student achievement and put families first. As Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, I am committed to working with them towards this common goal,” continued Dr. Cassidy.
Senator Cassidy recently released a report outlining strategies aimed at improving child literacy and addressing deficiencies in the K-12 education system. The report discusses consequences such as higher rates of high school dropout and incarceration linked to illiteracy, as well as challenges related to filling STEM jobs that affect national economic competitiveness and military readiness.
For more information from HELP Republicans, updates are available on their website or Twitter at @GOPHELP.
