The "National Education Goals Report" is published annually to describe progress toward the National Education Goals. This summary of the full report presents more than two dozen national core indicators to convey how much progress has been made in each of the eight National Education Goals. In addition, this year's "Summary" highlights student achievement in mathematics and science, two of the core areas in which all students should demonstrate competence. The encouraging news is that more students in grades 4, 8, and 12 are considered proficient or advanced in mathematics than were students 6 years ago. In addition, more college graduates are receiving degrees in the sciences and mathematics. Much of this success can be attributed to work that states and professional organizations have done to set rigorous academic standards for students. Much remains to be done, however, and for this reason, the National Education Goals Panel has proposed three steps to raise achievement: (1) set tougher standards that are comparable to the best in the world; (2) align all components of the education system with these standards; and (3) strengthen teachers' subject-matter knowledge and teaching skills. (Contains 12 figures.) (SLD)