Federal Test Scores Indicate Changes in Student Achievement

The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results reveal an upward trend in reading and math scores among 9-year-old students between 2022 and 2025. Despite past declines, younger students have made gains in these fundamental areas, offering a hopeful outlook.

Matthew Soldner, the acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, shared this optimistic news with NPR. He emphasized that the long-term trend (LTT) report, published on Wednesday, provides insights into the reading and math progress of both 9- and 13-year-olds. These pencil-and-paper tests have remained consistent since their inception in the 1970s and are representative of student learning on a national level. Between October 2024 and March 2025, over 30,000 students participated in these exams.

Key Observations from the Report:

1. Solid Gains Among 9-Year-Olds: Younger students demonstrated improvements in reading and math, which Soldner described as promising. Notably, even lower-performing students showed upward trends in their scores. This progress is attributed to the fact that these students began school when full-time, in-person instruction was the norm, allowing them to access critical lessons in literacy and math without interruption from the pandemic. This trend provides optimism for recovery from previous declines that began before the COVID-19 outbreak.

2. Challenges for 13-Year-Olds: The report highlights a struggle among 13-year-olds, with no significant changes in their reading and math outcomes compared to previous assessments. Reading scores have not returned to pre-pandemic levels across various demographics, including Hispanic and white students, female students, economically disadvantaged students, and suburban students. Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, underscored the need for change as this lack of progress poses significant questions about current educational strategies. The pandemic affected these students during pivotal years for literacy and math development, leading to less effective educational experiences.

3. Declining Interest in Reading: The percentage of 13-year-olds reading for pleasure has dropped. In 1984, 35% read for fun daily, whereas only 14% did so in 2022 and 2025. Although a larger proportion of 9-year-olds (37%) read for enjoyment, this figure is lower than previous decades.

4. 13-Year-Olds’ Math Progress Stagnates: Previous efforts had raised 13-year-olds’ average math scores by 21 points from 1978 to 2012, serving as a bright spot amid decades of data. Sadly, these gains have diminished, presenting a call to action for focusing more on middle school education. Muldoon suggests collaborative efforts could replicate past success, highlighting the feasibility of renewed progress.

5. A Pause in Long-Term Trend Reports: This new LTT report is the last for a while, as budget reductions initiated by the Trump administration have led to cuts within the U.S. Education Department. Significant personnel reductions at the Institute of Education Sciences, which oversees educational data, have contributed to the cancellation of several assessments, including future iterations of the NAEP tests. The next set of these assessments is scheduled for 2033.

Edited by Nirvi Shah with visual design and development by LA Johnson.