NAEP Results Underscore Urgency for High School Students
A Statement by EdTrust-Louisiana State Director Tramelle Howard J.D.

The newly released 12th grade NAEP scores reveal alarming national trends: student achievement is declining in both reading and math. Just 35% of high school seniors reached proficiency in reading, and only 22% in math, marking the lowest performance levels in more than a decade. These outcomes raise serious concerns about our students’ readiness for college, career, and civic life.

In Louisiana, we’ve seen encouraging progress in the early grades. Our state led the nation in growth in fourth grade reading, demonstrating what’s possible when we invest in proven strategies, such as science-based approaches to literacy instruction and early literacy support. It also proves that focused, equity-driven action can help our students thrive, but those gains must be carried through to high school.

Although the NAEP results are not disaggregated for Louisiana, the national picture should serve as a wake-up call. Now is the time for Louisiana leaders to double down on strategies that work: high-quality curriculum, strong educator support, targeted tutoring, and transparent data on who is succeeding — and who is not.

At EdTrust–Louisiana, we remain committed to advancing policies and investments that improve outcomes for all students — especially Black and Brown students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students in rural communities. We call on state leaders to stay the course on what’s working in early literacy and build stronger supports for high school students so that every graduate is truly prepared for what’s next.