K-12 Education - Elementary and Secondary STEM Education - NSB-2023-31

Oct 15, 2026

K–12 Education, focused on Elementary and Secondary STEM Education, summarizes national and international evidence on student learning in mathematics and science and tracks trends in K–12 achievement. It reports how COVID-19 affected mathematics scores, highlights disproportionate impacts on historically lower-performing groups, and documents changes in achievement gaps across percentiles. The publication also compares international performance, reviews transitions after high school, and examines STEM course-taking, postsecondary preparation, and related indicators using assessment and survey data.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages52

Reading Time2 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Key takeaways

Introduction

Student Learning in Mathematics and Science

National Trends in K–12 Student Achievement

International Comparisons of Mathematics and Science Performance

Post–High School Transitions

Transition to Postsecondary Education

STEM Coursetaking in High School

Conclusion

Glossary

K–12 Education Elementary and Secondary STEM Education NSB-2023-31 October 26, 2023 This publication is part of the 2024 edition of the Science and Engineering Indicators (Indicators) suite of reports. Indicators is prepared under the guidance of the National Science Board by the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. The Indicators suite consists of a summary report called The State of U.S. Science and Engineering, more-detailed thematic reports with supporting data, and a data tool that provides state-level indicators. Table of Contents | Executive Summary | 7 | | --- | --- | | Introduction | 9 | | Student Learning in Mathematics and Science | 10 | | National Trends in K–12 Student Achievement | 10 | | International Comparisons of Mathematics and Science Performance | 24 | | Post–High School Transitions | 32 | | Transition to Postsecondary Education | 32 | | STEM Coursetaking in High School | 35 | | Conclusion | 42 | | Glossary | 43 | | Definitions | 43 | | Key to Acronyms and Abbreviations | 43 | | References | 45 | | Notes | 49 | | Acknowledgments and Citation | 51 | | Acknowledgments | 51 | | Citation | 51 | | Contact Us | 52 | | Report Authors | 52 | | NCSES | 52 | | List of Sidebars | | | Impact of COVID-19 on K–12 Students | 19 | List of Tables | K12-1 | Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by race or ethnicity and socioeconomic status: 2022 | 17 | | --- | --- | --- | | K12-2 | Average TIMSS mathematics and science scores of students in grades 4 and 8: 1995–2019 | 28 | | List of Figures | | | K12-1 Average scores of 9-year-old students on the NAEP long-term trend mathematics assessment: 1978–2022 11 K12-2 Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment: 1990–2022 12 K12-3 Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by sex, disability 13 status, and socioeconomic status: 2019 and 2022 K12-4 Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by race or 15 ethnicity: 2019 and 2022 K12-5 Score declines for 9-year-old students on the NAEP long-term trend mathematics assessment, by race or 19 ethnicity and percentile: 2020 and 2022 K12-6 Students in grades 4 and 8 scoring at each NAEP achievement level in mathematics, by grade: 2022 21 K12-7 Students in grade 8 scoring NAEP Proficient or above in mathematics, by race or ethnicity, student disability 22 status, and English language learner status: 2022 K12-8 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by state: 2022 23 K12-9 Comparison of average scores of students in grade 8 in urban school districts with national public average 24 score on the main NAEP mathematics assessment: 2022 K12-10 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the TIMSS mathematics and science scales among participating 26 advanced economies, by education system: 2019 K12-11 Students in grade 8 reaching the TIMSS Advanced International Benchmark in mathematics and science 29 among participating advanced economies, by education system: 2019 K12-12 Average scores of U.S. students in grade 8 on the TIMSS mathematics and science scales, by school 31 percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch: 2019 K12-13 Students meeting ACT college readiness benchmarks in mathematics, science, and STEM: 2018–22 33 K12-14 Immediate college enrollment rates among high school completers, by institution type: 2008–21 34 K12-15 Immediate college enrollment rates among high school completers, by sex and race or ethnicity: 2021 35 K12-16 Average number of Carnegie credits earned by high school graduates, by academic course subject: 1990– 36 2019 K12-17 High school graduates who earned Carnegie credits in STEM courses, total and by STEM course type: 1990– 37 2019 K12-18 High school graduates who earned Ca

FAQs

What does the report focus on within K–12 education?

It focuses on Elementary and Secondary STEM Education, covering learning in mathematics and science and how achievement trends evolve across K–12 schooling.

How does the report describe COVID-19’s impact on mathematics achievement?

It states that average mathematics scores in 2022 were lower than in prior assessment years and that mathematics achievement regressed roughly 20 years during the COVID-19 period, with larger declines for groups that historically scored lower.

Which comparisons does the report include to contextualize U.S. results?

It includes national trends and international comparisons of mathematics and science performance, using assessment data such as NAEP and TIMSS.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan