Dana Goldstein’s article, “Reading Skills of 12th Graders Hit a New Low” (The New York Times, September 9, 2025), reports alarming findings from the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The results show that the reading skills of high school seniors are at their weakest since 1992, while math scores have fallen to their lowest since 2005. These outcomes have profound implications for students’ futures, schools’ responsibilities, and the broader economy.

The Scope of the Decline

The data reveal that one-third of seniors lack basic reading skills, meaning they struggle with essential tasks such as paraphrasing a political speech or interpreting a character’s motives in a story. Nearly half scored below the basic level in math, leaving them unable to apply percentages or other fundamental skills in real-world contexts. Only about one-third of seniors are graduating with the literacy and numeracy skills needed for college-level work.

The declines reflect long-standing struggles but are compounded by recent crises. Seniors in this dataset were eighth graders when the pandemic closed schools in March 2020, forcing millions into remote learning during critical developmental years. The pandemic magnified pre-existing inequities, and NAEP results underscore how vulnerable students have been hit hardest.

Broader Trends

Importantly, Goldstein emphasizes that achievement declines began well before COVID-19. For over a decade, scores for low-performing students have dropped significantly, while higher-achieving students (90th percentile and above) have maintained stable performance. This widening gap suggests that the “floor” of academic achievement has collapsed, raising concerns about equity and opportunity.

At the same time, the cultural shift toward screen time, social media, and video content has displaced reading. Both adults and children are spending less time with print materials, reducing opportunities to develop deep reading comprehension. Compounding the problem, federal and state accountability systems designed to hold schools responsible for academic progress have weakened over the past decade, further diminishing focus on raising test scores.

Policy and Political Context

Educational policy priorities have shifted sharply. Among Republicans, energy has centered on private-school vouchers and parental choice, rather than test-based accountability. Many Democrats, meanwhile, have prioritized student well-being, mental health, and social supports, sometimes at the expense of academic rigor. These shifts, Goldstein notes, have not produced national gains in achievement.

The article also details turmoil at the federal level. The National Center for Education Statistics—the agency administering NAEP—has been gutted, with staffing reduced from around 100 to just three employees under the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. This hollowing out has raised concerns about the government’s ability to track and respond to the crisis.

Implications for Schools and Society

Experts describe the situation as both an educational and economic emergency. Margaret Spellings, former U.S. Education Secretary, warns that declining literacy and math skills threaten America’s workforce readiness and global competitiveness. Employers will face challenges finding skilled workers, while graduates lacking foundational competencies may struggle in an AI-driven job market.

Some education advocates, such as Marc Porter Magee of 50CAN, argue that solutions already exist. States like Louisiana and Tennessee have shown progress through high-dosage tutoring, rigorous curricula, and transparent communication with parents. The barrier, he contends, is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of political will to scale effective strategies nationally.

Others, like historian D. Graham Burnett, suggest that as technology reshapes communication, society may need to rethink how literacy is defined and practiced. While reading remains essential, traditions of knowledge transmission may evolve into formats beyond print, from oral performance to digital media. Still, Burnett insists, “It’s important that we not throw out reading.”

Conclusion for Educators

For educators, the NAEP results are both a warning and a call to action. Schools must intensify early literacy instruction, expand tutoring, and ensure access to high-quality curricula. Just as crucial, teachers and administrators must advocate for sustained attention to academics, even as schools address mental health and equity. The crisis is not just about test scores—it’s about preparing students for citizenship, college, and careers in a rapidly changing world.

Original Article

Source

Dana Goldstein, “Reading Skills of 12th Graders Hit a New Low,” The New York Times, September 9, 2025. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/12th-grade-reading-skills-low...

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com