WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) today released the 2024 results in math and reading for 4th and 8th graders. Despite massive federal investments and heroic efforts from state and local education leaders, the results indicate that students are not recovering from pandemic learning loss, especially for reading, and in students who need the most support.
"The latest "Nation's Report Card" delivers a sobering message: student performance in mathematics and reading lags persistently behind our expectations," said Michael Carney, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "The continued decline in these core academic areas threatens not only individual student success but America's competitive position in the global economy. These aren't just subjects in a classroom; they're the foundation of American innovation."
NAEP serves as an essential indicator of the health of America's future workforce. Fourth-grade reading proficiency, an important indicator of literacy, decreased to 31%, two percentage points lower than 2022 and four lower than 2019. Eighth-grade math proficiency, a significant predictor of lifetime earnings and a state’s future economic growth, increased by two percentage points to 28%, but is still six percentage points below pre-pandemic 2019. Alarmingly, gaps continue to widen between the highest- and lowest-performing students: in fourth-grade reading, students at the 90th percentile held steady while students at the 10th percentile slipped by four percentage points.
The U.S. Chamber Foundation remains committed to collaborating with business and education leaders to develop innovative solutions that will strengthen academic achievement and ensure our future workforce has the essential skills needed to drive American competitiveness and economic growth. Learn more about our education initiatives here.
