The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports the lowest math and reading scores for 13-year-olds in the US in decades. Math scores are at their lowest since 1990, while reading scores haven't been this low since 2004.
The decline began before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic significantly exacerbated existing issues. The scores reveal a substantial drop since the 2019-2020 school year, raising concerns about a decade of disappointing results for American students.
The achievement decline affected all groups, but the impact was particularly severe for vulnerable children, including Black, Native American, and low-income students, especially in math.
The NAEP test, administered last fall, focused on basic skills. 13-year-olds scored an average of 256 out of 500 in reading and 271 out of 500 in math, significantly lower than three years ago.
These results are the final major federal data release on pandemic learning loss, offering valuable insights into the challenges facing educators and students.