Federal Testing Program Leader Suspended Amid Concerns Over Student Performance
Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, speaks about the testing program known as “The Nation’s Report Card” during a 2022 interview. Alex Brandon/AP
In an unexpected move, the leader of a major U.S. student testing initiative has been placed on administrative leave. Peggy Carr, the Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), was suspended by the Trump administration on Monday. Carr, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021, had served over twenty years as a career employee before her current role. The Education Department confirmed her leave but did not disclose any specific reasons.
The NCES is renowned for its administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as The Nation’s Report Card. This test, mandated by Congress, provides a comprehensive overview of student achievement in subjects such as math and reading. Since its inception in 1969, the NAEP has been the largest national test assessing student learning.
Recent data from the NAEP, released in January, indicates a troubling trend: U.S. fourth and eighth graders in 2024 are underperforming in reading and math compared to pre-pandemic levels. The assessment places students into categories of advanced, proficient, or basic skills, with recent results showing a historic low in eighth-grade reading scores. Carr noted, “The worst-performing readers in 2024 scored lower than our lower performers did 30 years ago for fourth and eighth grade. That’s how low these scores historically have dropped,” as she explained to NPR last month.
The White House expressed significant concern over these findings, stating to several media outlets that the results are unacceptable.
In a related development, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has significantly reduced federal research funding, including cutting nearly $900 million in ongoing research contracts. Despite these cuts, NPR learned from Education Department staff that the NAEP will continue to operate.
