In a submission to the Senate inquiry on academic standards of school education, academics from James Cook University in Queensland argue that they have found a "significant decrease" in the standard of maths and physics taught in Year 12 over the past two decades.

"The low participation in rigorous mathematics in senior high schools ... is causing a crisis in university mathematics and physics disciplines," it says.

The academics say they are unable to teach the level of maths required for students moving into second-year subjects in engineering, physics and mathematics.

"There is no doubt that we are now unable to teach this subject to the same depth as we were in the 70s, 80s and early 90s," they say. "The level of mathematics competence of students entering this subject has forced us to reduce the difficulty of this subject twice in the last 15 years.

"A cursory examination of the change in our subjects indicates that it is doubtful if our students, when they finish first-year university, are further advanced than a student at the end of Year 12 20 years ago."

The submission is signed by the heads of the school of mathematics, physics and IT, Associate Professor Wayne Read, Professor Mal Heron and Associate Professor Kevin Parnell from the school of earth and environmental sciences and Phillip Musumeci and Peter Ridd from the school of mathematics, physics and IT.