Overview

• New national data report 35% of seniors at or above proficient in reading and 22% in math, with 32% below basic in reading and 45% below basic in math.
• NCES says average 12th-grade reading fell 10 points from 1992 and math hit its lowest since 2005, with the steepest drops among lower-performing students.
• Roughly one-third of seniors reported missing three or more days in the prior month, intensifying concerns about attendance and prompting calls to assess classroom smartphone bans.
• A Senate hearing featured divided prescriptions, with Education Secretary Linda McMahon urging greater state control while Democrats pressed for sustained federal investment and equity-focused recovery.
• State-level gains in places such as Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Indiana and Alabama are cited as models built on early screening, phonics-based instruction and third-grade retention.