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January 29, 2025

Tim Walberg blames 'woke policies' as NAEP shows historic declines in 12th-grade reading and math

Brian Ledtke
walberg.house.gov
National Center for Education Statistics
walberg.house.gov
edworkforce.house.gov
+64

Only 31% read at grade level as Education Department blames "woke curriculum"

The Nation's Report Card data were released Sep. 9, 2025 and report results from assessments administered Jan.ā€“Mar. 2024.

The national average 12th-grade reading score fell to 283 in 2024, about 10 points below the 1992 average of 292.

Twelfth-grade mathematics posted its lowest average since the test's 2005 framework, with only about 22 percent of seniors at or above NAEP Proficient in math.

Eighth-grade science scores fell 4 points from 2019, and the achievement gap widened to record levels on that assessment.

Rep. Tim Walberg publicly blamed 'woke policies' and administrative priorities for the declines; the Department and NCES officials emphasized multi-year declines and multiple contributing factors.

State results and policy impacts vary. The national release does not single out one state as the sole driver of recovery or failure without state-by-state context.

šŸŽ“EducationšŸ“‹Public Policy

Test Your Knowledge

10
Q1

Did the reading decline begin during COVID-19 and mainly result from school closures?

Q2

NAEP's 12th-grade reading average fell to 283, ten points below 1992.

Q3

What amount did the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers donate to progressive political advocacy groups and Democratic PACs between mid-2022 and mid-2024, as fourth-grade NAEP reading proficiency fell to levels not seen since 1992?

Q4

Complete this excerpt from the April 3, 2025 Education Week interview with Louisiana State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley: ā€œWe banned ___-_____ systems, which is a reading approach that prompts students to draw on _____ instead of sounding words out.ā€

Q5

What share of U.S. fourth-graders scored at or above NAEP Proficient in 2024?

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People, bills, and sources

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Chairman, House Education and Workforce Committee

Linda McMahon

Linda McMahon

U.S. Secretary of Education

Peggy Carr

Commissioner, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Martin West

NAEP Governing Board vice chair and Harvard education professor

What you can do

1

understanding

Monitor NAEP data tables and state profiles

Use NAEP's Data Explorer to check state-by-state trends before citing single-state claims.

nces.info@
2

civic action

Track congressional and administrative responses

Watch committee statements and Department rulemaking after the Sep. 9, 2025 release for proposed policy changes and funding priorities.

edworkforce@mail.

Hi, I'm calling about the NAEP test scores released on Sept. 9, 2025 showing historic declines in student achievement.

Key points to mention:

  • The 2024 grade 12 reading average fell to 283, about 10 points below NAEP's first 1992 measure
  • Twelfth-grade math was the lowest since 2005
  • Eighth-grade science dropped 4 points from 2019
  • Rep. Tim Walberg blamed "woke policies" in a statement
  • The Department of Education and NCES officials described long-running declines that predate the pandemic and flagged absenteeism and other factors

How this impacts students: When student achievement declines, it affects their future opportunities and America's economic competitiveness. We need evidence-based solutions, not political blame games. State-level patterns vary, so we need to understand what works in different contexts.

Questions to ask:

  • What policy changes is the committee considering in response to these NAEP results?
  • How will the committee ensure proposed solutions are evidence-based and address the root causes?
  • What oversight will the committee provide on Department of Education rulemaking and funding priorities?

Specific request: I want the committee to provide oversight on how the Department of Education responds to these NAEP results and ensure any proposed policy changes are evidence-based and address the actual causes of declining achievement.

Thank you for your time.