National Report Card Reveals Historic Decline in U.S. Student Reading Scores

The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress highlights the ongoing impact of pandemic-era school closures and systemic challenges in education.

The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress shows reading scores for fourth and eighth graders have fallen to their lowest levels in decades, with eighth-grade scores at their lowest since 1992.
Experts attribute the decline partly to the effects of pandemic-related school closures, which disrupted learning and widened achievement gaps, particularly among lower-performing students.
Despite $189.5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds for education, recovery efforts have failed to reverse the downward trend in student performance.
Critics, including former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, argue for a 'total reset' of the education system, citing the Department of Education's inability to address long-standing issues effectively.
The results have reignited debates on school choice, federal versus state control of education, and the role of standardized testing in shaping student outcomes.