Math scores aren’t improving, and it’s not just because of the pandemic

Federal testing data released Wednesday reveals that math scores for U.S. 9- and 13-year-olds have not improved in over a decade, contradicting claims that pandemic-related learning losses are the sole cause of declining academic performance. The National Assessment of Educational Progress’s long-term trend test, administered by the Institute of Education Sciences, shows stagnant scores since 2012, with 13-year-olds scoring at levels statistically equivalent to the lowest-performing students in the early 1970s. While 9-year-olds saw slight math score improvements and reading levels rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, 13-year-olds showed no progress since 2023. Matthew Soldner, acting director of the Institute of Education Sciences, emphasized that the decline is not isolated to the pandemic era. Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, called the stagnation among older students a ‘brewing crisis’ and urged greater focus on middle school education. Economists warn that weaker math skills could lead to lower lifetime earnings for today’s students, with estimates suggesting graduates may earn 8% less than the Class of 2013. Stanford University’s Eric Hanushek projected these losses could cost the U.S. economy $90 trillion by 2100, while Harvard and Dartmouth researchers estimated 48 million students from the 2020-21 school year could lose $900 billion in lifetime earnings due to pandemic learning gaps. The data also highlights workforce challenges, as employers struggle to find candidates with foundational math skills needed for careers in healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. Courtney Brown of the Lumina Foundation noted that weak math proficiency could limit students’ access to higher-paying credentials. The trend reflects a broader decline in math achievement since the mid-2010s, following progress between 2000 and 2012.