On Monday, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, was released for the first time in full since 2019. Upon its release, it was revealed that there was a slight drop in reading scores and a considerable drop in math. The NAEP assesses math, and reading proficiencies in students grade four and eight. It is given every two years, but the pandemic pushed the 2021 test to 2022. The results were called “appalling and unacceptable” by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, in a call with reporters.

These abysmal scores come as Joe Biden’s Department of Education has taken notes from the teacher’s unions, which have advocated for forced masking, lockdowns, and pushing the coronavirus shot on young children.

Peggy Carr, the commissioner for the National Center of Education Statistics who administers the NAEP, said that the math scores were expected. In fact, many specialists are citing the pandemic and the disruptions it has caused in schools across the country to be the reason behind the score drops. Carr has also mentioned that to move forward, teachers should focus on math in school because parents and community members are more comfortable helping students with reading milestones.

While it is important for communities to focus on the future, this could be a huge issue.

“When you compare the most recent results to past years, it paints a stark picture:
In 2022, the average fourth-grade math score decreased by 5 points to its lowest level since 2005. The average eighth-grade math score decreased by 8 points to its lowest level since 2003.” –NPR

Researchers are hoping that teachers and states will use this data to target specific needs and get the future generations back on track.