Nationally, the latest student assessment results paint a concerning picture, confirming a persistent education crisis in the United States following the pandemic.
Florida’s education crisis is more complex, with uneven performance showing both signs of success and serious warnings for the future.
Amid this analysis, one culprit is increasingly pointed to by experts and educators: the impact of social media and increased screen time on students’ learning abilities.
The most recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” released on September 9, 2025, reveal a continued decline in high school student performance nationwide.
Math and reading scores for 12th-grade students have reached their lowest levels in decades—a downward trend that, while predating the pandemic, has been exacerbated by it.
National experts point to a confluence of factors to explain this decline, including chronic absenteeism, a youth mental health crisis, and the deep disruption of remote learning.
Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, has described the results as “sobering,” highlighting a growing gap between the highest- and lowest-performing students.
Florida’s Education Crisis Landscape: A Tale of Two Realities
Within this national context, Florida presents a mixed picture. The state’s NAEP test results show notable success in younger grades but concerning performance in higher levels.
Success in Fourth Grade: Florida’s fourth-grade students have consistently outperformed the national average in several key subjects, including math and reading. State officials often attribute this achievement to education policies focused on early literacy and a faster return to in-person instruction during the pandemic.
Struggles in Higher Grades: Despite success in elementary school, Florida’s eighth- and twelfth-grade students have not followed the same trajectory. At these levels, the state falls below the national average in crucial subjects like math and reading, reflecting the national trend of greater difficulties among adolescent students.
This divergence suggests that while Florida’s early education strategies may be paying off, they are not sustaining momentum as students progress in their education, facing more complex academic and social challenges.
The Role of Social Media: The Silent Culprit?
With remote learning during the pandemic, the time children and adolescents spend on screens surged, and many experts believe this has come at a significant academic cost. The question of social media’s role in the education decline is no longer marginal but central to the debate.
Cognitive and Attention Impact: Educators and psychologists warn that constant use of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube may be reshaping how young brains process information. The instant gratification and rapid content shifts on these platforms make it harder for students to maintain the deep focus and critical thinking required for complex academic tasks like reading long texts or solving multi-step math problems.
Mental Health and Well-Being: Studies have linked excessive social media use to increased anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues in young people. This mental health crisis directly impacts students’ motivation and ability to engage with their studies.
Displacement of Key Activities: Time spent on social media is time not spent on reading for pleasure, homework, adequate sleep, or face-to-face interaction—all activities essential for cognitive development and academic success.
Marty West, academic dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has directly pointed to this phenomenon in analyzing national results, stating: “We should be looking at what social media and the rise of a screen-based childhood are doing to reading skills.”
In conclusion, while the pandemic was the catalyst for the recent drop in student performance, underlying factors like the omnipresence of social media appear to be playing a crucial and lasting role in this crisis. For Florida, the challenge is twofold: maintaining and expanding the successes seen in early years while effectively addressing the complex reasons, including digital distractions, holding back its older students.
