Madison Rae Cabagbag | Social Media Editor & Thomas Marnella | Social Media Editor
September 12th, 2025
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the national report card, has concluded that the average 2024 test scores among 8th grade and 12th grade students have significantly dropped. A 3-point decrease in math and 4-point decrease in science leaves American students at the lowest score point in decades.
These tests were administered between January and March of 2024 and are sparking conversations on the changing landscape in the U.S. education system. AP European History teacher Mr. Swenson commented on how “over the last 5 or 6 years, rubrics for [AP Exams] have simplified… in some ways, those have been good changes because it’s more direct and gives students a clearer idea of what we’re looking for, and at other times, you can’t help but think that they’re getting an easier experience. Are we really pushing students as hard as they’ve been pushed in the past?” He also emphasized that the college board is lowering their standards for high academic performance on standardized testing. This overall trend can be identified within school communities as well.
USNews provides public profiles and data sets for schools across the country. San Clemente High School is ranked #1,840 out of #17,901 in the National Ranking. Given the circumstances of the education system, that leaves our school in the top 10% and our ratings thankfully offer a clearer picture of this. Our school boasts a math proficiency of 48%, a reading proficiency of 77%, and a science proficiency of 50%. Now this may seem underwhelming, but by comparison, the California state average is only ~33%. Regardless of our impressive rankings, our students still contribute to this significant grade-point decrease. London Watkins, a sophomore here at SCHS, claimed, “I feel like people just started to stop trying” and when asked why she thought it happened, she responded by saying, “[I think it’s because of] brain rot…people are chronically online, you know, and it’s like ruining our generation.” Today’s teenagers are constantly stimulated by technology, which promotes distractions that interfere with academic performance.
While technology itself cannot be taken away, schools nationwide should focus on adapting a style of education that accommodates the current generation. With this change, American students can recover their lost points and start setting new records in the education system.
Leave a Reply