The purpose of the quantitative ex-post facto study was to determine to what extent a predictive relationship exists between students' reading comprehension skills and mastery of conceptualizing mathematical problems for students in the fifth through eighth grades in a metropolitan area in the northeastern United States. The Federal School Assessment Program mandates that all public-school students from grades three to eight and once again in high school take reading and math assessments at the end of the academic year. From 2018 to 2021, researchers analyzed students' academic progress in grades five to eight who underwent state assessments in math and English. Education reform in America focused on improving academic success for all students, especially low achievers. The data used was a thorough analysis of student performance on standardized tests in English Language Arts and Math, considering their literacy skills when solving math problems. The researcher investigated passing and non-passing rates for both sections of the standardized test and examined the scores of students who passed only one section. The study's primary objective was to investigate the linkage between critical thinking and problem-solving proficiencies and how augmenting these skills can heighten academic accomplishments among students. The researcher conducted a thorough ANCOVA test to identify any significant differences between the variables. This test resulted in scrutinizing the statistical data report and identifying any significant variations in mean scores while controlling for other variables.  [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]