WASHINGTON (TNND) — Struggling students just posted their worst reading scores in over 30 years. Results from what’s known as the ‘Nation’s Report Card’ were released on Wednesday, showing that students are falling further behind in reading.
Nicole Bradford, a former educator for over twenty years tells us, it’s concerning to see the results from the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress.
It shows us that what we’re doing currently is not working so we need to get back to the basics,” Bradford said.
Given every two years, the exam was administered in early 2024, testing fourth and eighth-grade students in every state on math and reading. The results showed that students are still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels.
“Going through Covid, when everyone experienced that, we were all trying to figure out what works best for students,” said Bradford.
Data from the report card shows that reading scores specifically have been on the decline for years. Fourth-grade scores dropped from 220 in 2019 to 215 in 2024 and eighth-grade scores fell from 263 to 258 during the same time frame.
“That’s very concerning because it’s definitely going to impact everyone throughout the United States,” said Bradford.
Patricia Edwards, a professor at Michigan State’s College of Education believes, in order to get things back on track, more parental engagement is going to be necessary.
“They are the children’s first teachers and the teacher is the second teacher and literacy begins at home,” Edwards said.
Edwards says especially for the younger students, like those given this exam, who are still in their formative years,
“Teachers are teaching 1 on 25 and parents are teaching 1 on 1 and if you ask the average parent how their child best learns they will say 1 on 1,” said Edwards.
The U.S. Department of Education says the results are “heartbreaking” and reflect an education system that is failing students despite billions of dollars in annual funding and billions spent on federal pandemic relief.