
(Scypre.com) – A highly anticipated federal report on student achievement has revealed that academic performance among American students continues to slide, particularly in reading, adding fuel to ongoing debates over the state of education in the country. The latest findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, indicate that students have not only failed to fully recover from pandemic-related learning losses but, in some cases, have fallen even further behind.
The troubling data, released Wednesday, show that reading scores, which had already declined sharply between 2019 and 2022, continued to drop in 2024. Particularly alarming is the record-high number of eighth-graders scoring in the lowest proficiency bracket. While there was a small uptick in fourth-grade math scores, eighth-grade math performance remained stagnant, offering little hope for rapid recovery.
“These Results Are Bad” – Experts Warn of Long-Term Economic Consequences
Education researchers have responded to the findings with deep concern, emphasizing the broader implications of declining student performance. Dan Goldhaber, a researcher at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Washington, did not mince words in assessing the situation.
“I don’t know how many different ways you can say these results are bad, but they’re bad,” he said. “This isn’t just the canary in the coal mine. This is a flock of dead birds in the coal mine.”
Goldhaber noted that test scores are closely linked to future wages, meaning the drop in achievement could have profound economic repercussions. He estimated that the overall impact on earnings over time could amount to trillions of dollars in lost income, a consequence that may not be fully realized for years to come.
A Political Divide Over the Findings
Predictably, the dismal results have been interpreted through competing political lenses. Advocates for public education argue that additional resources and support are urgently needed for schools and students. Meanwhile, conservative policymakers have questioned the effectiveness of the nearly $190 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to education, suggesting that the funds have yielded little tangible improvement.
The assessment, conducted in early 2024, tested two key student groups: fourth-graders, who were in kindergarten at the onset of the pandemic, and eighth-graders, who were in fourth grade at the time. Their academic trajectories have been severely disrupted, and the latest scores reflect the lasting impact of that upheaval.
Reading Scores Continue Their Downward Spiral
Reading performance, which had been steadily improving for years, first saw a downturn in 2017. Since then, scores have continued to decline, a trend that accelerated sharply during the pandemic and has yet to show signs of reversal. Particularly troubling is the surge in the number of students falling into the lowest proficiency bracket.
In 2024, the proportion of eighth-graders scoring at the lowest level reached an all-time high, while the share of fourth-graders at that level was the largest in two decades. The decline has not only affected struggling students but has also led to stagnation among high-achieving students.
“These results cannot be blamed solely on the pandemic,” said Peggy G. Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). “We are dealing with a longer-term issue in reading education.”
For instance, the average reading score for fourth-graders fell from 220 (on a 500-point scale) in 2019 to 217 in 2022. Instead of rebounding, as many had hoped, it declined further to 215 in 2024. A similar pattern was observed among eighth-graders.
One potential bright spot emerged in Louisiana, where reading scores in 2024 surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Carr suggested that the state’s early and sustained focus on phonics-based reading instruction, often referred to as the science of reading, may have contributed to this success.
“They did focus heavily on the science of reading, but they didn’t start yesterday,” Carr said. “I would not say that hope is lost.”
Math Scores Show a Small Improvement but Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
In contrast to reading, math scores showed a slight improvement, though overall achievement remains below pre-pandemic levels. Fourth-grade students recorded a modest two-point increase in their average math scores nationally, marking one of the few positive developments in the new data.
State-level data revealed mixed results: 14 states and jurisdictions saw improved fourth-grade math scores compared to 2022, while 37 states showed no significant change. Nebraska was the only state to experience a decline. Meanwhile, eighth-grade math scores remained unchanged at both the national and state levels.
Encouragingly, the proportion of students reaching proficiency in math increased slightly. Among fourth-graders, the percentage of students demonstrating competency over challenging material rose from 36% in 2022 to 39% in 2024. Among eighth-graders, it climbed from 26% to 28%.
Widening Achievement Gaps
A concerning trend emerging from the data is the growing disparity between high-achieving and low-achieving students. While top-performing students have made up some of the ground lost during the pandemic, lower-performing students have continued to struggle, further widening the achievement gap.
For example, in fourth-grade math, students in the top quartile have fully recovered to their 2019 performance levels. In contrast, students in the bottom half have made no meaningful progress since 2022. In eighth-grade reading, the lowest-performing students saw their scores drop again in 2024, deepening the divide.
Carr underscored the seriousness of this issue. “There’s a widening achievement gap in this country, and it has worsened since the pandemic,” she said.
Chronic Absenteeism Contributes to the Decline
One factor identified as a significant contributor to declining scores is chronic absenteeism. The NAEP study found a strong correlation between student attendance and academic performance. Students who missed 10% or more of school days were significantly more likely to score poorly.
Chronic absenteeism spiked during the pandemic and has remained at elevated levels, raising alarms about its impact on student learning.
“If students aren’t in school, they can’t learn,” Carr said.
Experts also pointed to changes in student habits, such as increased screen time, as potential factors in declining reading skills. “Reading is influenced not just by what happens in the classroom but also by what happens at home,” Carr noted.
The Debate Over Education Policy Intensifies
The release of the latest NAEP results has intensified the ongoing debate over education policy. Advocates for increased funding and support argue that the results highlight the need for additional resources.
Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, called the findings “a national disgrace” and urged school districts to implement proven strategies such as intensive tutoring, extended learning time, and enhanced educator support.
“We will not stand by while another generation of children is left behind because our elected officials lack the backbone to act,” she said.
Meanwhile, conservative policymakers have used the results to argue that the education system is in need of major reform. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), chairman of the House education committee, claimed the data reflect a failure of the current system.
“These scores are a reflection of the education bureaucracy continuing to focus on woke policies rather than helping students learn and grow,” Walberg said.
The Education Department also weighed in, calling the data “heartbreaking” and advocating for a shift in priorities.
“Despite the billions of dollars that the federal government invests in K-12 education annually … our education system continues to fail students across the nation,” the department stated. “Change must happen, and it must happen now.”
As debates rage on, one thing is clear: the road to academic recovery remains long and uncertain, and the fate of a generation of students hangs in the balance.