Today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released the Nation’s Report Card, revealing a startling decline in student performance on twelfth-grade math and reading assessments and eighth-grade science since 2019. According to the findings, only 31% of eighth-graders performed at or above NAEP proficient, 22% of twelfth-graders performed at or above proficient in math, and 35% in reading.

Below is a statement from Parents for School Options on the findings:

“Today’s NAEP results are a gut punch for America’s families. Reading and math scores have dropped to their lowest levels in decades, further proof that our education system is failing our kids.

“Parents are not surprised. We see the struggle every day. What’s shocking is that policymakers continue to push the same broken, one-size-fits-all model while expecting different results.

“It’s time for a new path. Families need and deserve options. Expanding options such as open enrollment policies, public charter schools, full-time virtual programs, magnet programs, and education savings accounts ensures every child can learn in the environment that works best for them.

“Many policymakers are committed to protecting the status quo in education, while their own children attend elite private school programs. Choice shouldn’t be a luxury for the chosen few; it is a lifeline that must be enjoyed by all students, no matter their socio-economic status or geographic location.

“When parents have options, students succeed. When families are trapped, students fall behind. These NAEP scores should end the debate: America cannot afford to lock children into failing systems any longer.

“Parents deserve the power to choose, and children deserve the chance to thrive.”