Parents, educators, and policy makers throughout the country were dismayed in September to see the latest scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP scores, known as “The Nation’s Report Card,” paint a bleak picture: In 2024, only 35% of 12th graders, 38% of 8th graders, and 31% of 4th graders were deemed proficient in reading, while only 22% of 12th graders, 28% of 8th graders, and 39% of 4th graders were deemed proficient in mathematics.