Peggy G. Carr, NCES Commissioner | National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has announced that the Nation’s Report Card indicates fourth and eighth graders are not making sufficient progress to recover from pandemic-related setbacks, although some improvement is evident. This announcement was made in a press release on January 29.
According to the NCES, Grade 4 mathematics scores saw a two-point improvement between 2022 and 2024, reversing a five-point decline from 2019 to 2022. However, eighth-grade mathematics scores remained unchanged. Reading comprehension faced challenges, with both fourth and eighth-grade reading scores dropping, continuing a trend seen since 2019. Eighth-graders experienced the highest percentage of students scoring below the NAEP Basic level in the history of the assessment. Significant gaps were observed, particularly in eighth-grade mathematics, where higher-performing students improved while lower performers declined.
In terms of state and district performance, NCES reports that 15 states and 14 urban districts saw gains in fourth-grade mathematics since 2022, with some districts exceeding national increases. Despite these gains, reading scores continued to struggle, with no measurable changes in many regions. Pre-pandemic comparisons show that average scores in both mathematics and reading are still lower than in 2019, with notable declines in eighth-grade reading scores. NAEP's assessments in 2024 involved over 230,000 students across various locations.
"Overall, student achievement has not returned to pre-pandemic performance," said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. "Where there are signs of recovery, they are mostly in math and largely driven by higher-performing students. Lower-performing students are struggling, especially in reading."
The National Center for Education Statistics is a federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on U.S. education from early childhood to adult education. Established in 1867, NCES provides key statistical insights through various surveys and programs to inform education policy and practices. It produces reports like the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card.
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