American students’ reading skills have continued to decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, while their math skills have barely improved, according to a report from the Department of Education released Tuesday. 

Often called the “Nation’s Report Card,” the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is given every two years and considered one of the best indicators of the academic progress of the U.S. school system. The most recent exam was administered in early 2024 in every state, testing fourth- and eighth-grade students on their math and reading skills.

The results showed that, compared to 2022, the average math score for eighth grade students was virtually unchanged, while reading scores fell 2 points at both grade levels. One-third of eighth grade students scored below “basic” in reading, more than ever in the history of the assessment.

Even more alarming for officials was the obvious divide between higher- and lower-performing students, which has grown wider than ever. Students with the highest scores outperformed their peers from two years ago, making up some ground lost during the pandemic. But the lowest performers are scoring even lower, falling further behind.

The latest setbacks follow a historic backslide in 2022. In that year’s exam, student achievement fell across both subjects and grade levels, in some cases at unprecedented levels.

Children reading at their desk in a classroom.  (Getty Images)

This round of testing again featured students whose lives were disrupted by the pandemic. When COVID hit in 2020, the fourth graders were in kindergarten, and the eighth graders were in fourth grade.

But Carr said poor results can no longer be blamed solely on the pandemic, warning that the nation’s education system faces “complex challenges.”

A survey done alongside the exam found in 2022 that fewer young students were reading for enjoyment, which is linked to lower reading scores. And new survey results found that students who are often absent from class — a persistent problem nationwide — are struggling the most.

“The data are clear,” Carr said. “Students who don’t come to school are not improving.”

The results provide fresh fuel for a national debate over the impact of pandemic school closures, though they’re unlikely to add clarity given the lack of definitive studies linking school closures to bigger academic setbacks. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.