The Nation’s Report Card for 2024, released today, revealed continued declines in reading scores among U.S. students, exacerbating a trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show a widening achievement gap, with lower-performing students falling even further behind their peers.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), average reading scores for 4th and 8th graders declined by two points compared to 2022, adding to the three-point drop recorded between 2019 and 2022.
The data shows that no state experienced gains in reading scores for either grade level, and only Atlanta Public Schools saw improvements in 4th-grade reading among large urban districts.
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The report paints a bleak picture of literacy proficiency in American schools:
- Less than a third of students nationwide performed at the NAEP Proficient level in reading in both 4th and 8th grades.
- 40% of 4th graders failed to meet the NAEP Basic standard—the highest percentage since 2002.
- A record-breaking 33% of 8th graders are now below the NAEP Basic benchmark, meaning they struggle with essential reading comprehension skills.
“The continued declines in reading scores are particularly troubling,” said Patrick Kelly, a member of the National Assessment Governing Board and an AP U.S. Government teacher. “Reading is foundational to all subjects, and failure to read well keeps students from accessing information and building knowledge across content areas.”
While reading scores plummeted, there were small improvements in 4th grade math, with the national average increasing by two points since 2022. Several states and school districts recorded gains in math achievement for younger students:
States With Increases in 4th Grade Math:
- Alabama
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New York
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
Urban School Districts With Math Gains:
- Atlanta Public Schools
- Baltimore City Public Schools
- Boston Public Schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
- Clark County School District
- DC Public Schools
- Detroit Public Schools
- Guilford County Schools
- Houston Independent School District
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools
- New York City Public Schools
- School District of Philadelphia
- San Diego Unified School District
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Despite these improvements, 8th-grade math scores remained flat, a worrying trend given the historic 8-point drop recorded in 2022. No state or district saw improvement in 8th-grade math scores, and nearly 40% of 8th graders failed to meet the NAEP Basic level.
“The fact that 8th grade math scores have not rebounded at all since their record drop in 2022 is deeply concerning,” said Martin West, Vice Chair of the Governing Board and a professor of education at Harvard University. “If we do not reverse this trend, we risk an entire generation struggling in higher education and the workforce.”
Nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, academic achievement across the country remains below 2019 levels in both math and reading. Only two states—Louisiana and Alabama—have surpassed their pre-pandemic scores in one subject and grade level:
- Louisiana saw gains in 4th-grade reading.
- Alabama surpassed its 2019 4th-grade math scores.
However, no state or urban district has regained pre-pandemic levels in 8th-grade reading or math.
“This is unacceptable, especially for our lowest-performing students,” said former North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue, Chair of the National Assessment Governing Board. “We need to invest more in proven, data-driven strategies that accelerate learning and close achievement gaps.”
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The report also underscores the widening gap between high- and low-performing students. The lowest-performing students now score about 100 points below their higher-achieving peers.
“We made progress in closing this gap until around 2010, but it has been steadily widening since,” said West. “Policymakers must hold all students to high standards and provide support to help them meet those expectations.”
Survey data from the NAEP student assessments indicates that chronic absenteeism—a major barrier to academic success—has improved slightly since the peak of the pandemic but remains worse than pre-pandemic levels.
With literacy and math proficiency stagnating or declining, education leaders and policymakers face increasing pressure to take action. The latest Nation’s Report Card serves as a wake-up call for state governments, school districts, and educators to prioritize efforts aimed at reversing the downward trend.
“We cannot afford to let this crisis continue,” Perdue emphasized. “Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve academic success and build a better future.”
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