WASHINGTON — New student assessment results released this week showed persistent challenges in reading achievement and academic knowledge among older students, despite signs of recovery among younger children, renewing concerns among educators about long-term learning outcomes.
Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation’s Report Card, showed that 9-year-old students improved in reading and mathematics between 2022 and 2025 after years of pandemic-era declines. However, reading and math performance among 13-year-olds remained below pre-pandemic levels, according to results released Wednesday by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Federal education officials said the findings illustrate uneven academic recovery across age groups. Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, described the latest report as “an optimistic release” because of gains among younger students, according to an interview with NPR. At the same time, officials acknowledged that older students have not experienced a similar rebound.
The long-term trend assessment, which has tracked student performance for decades, found that average reading scores among 13-year-olds remain below levels recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to reporting by The Associated Press, the latest reading results for teenagers were effectively unchanged from historic levels measured when the assessment began in the early 1970s.
Separate NAEP assessments released earlier this year also showed continued declines in reading performance among fourth-, eighth- and twelfth-grade students. The National Assessment Governing Board said previous reports documented declines in reading achievement and highlighted concerns about students’ literacy skills following pandemic-related disruptions.
The latest federal data were accompanied by findings on student reading habits. According to the National Assessment Governing Board, the share of 13-year-olds who reported reading for fun almost daily reached its lowest level on record in the most recent long-term trend survey.
International assessments have also reported challenges in reading achievement. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said average reading performance across OECD countries had already been trending downward before the pandemic, with several education systems reporting continued declines in recent years.
Educators, policymakers and researchers have cited a range of factors, including pandemic disruptions, absenteeism, changes in reading habits and broader educational challenges. Federal officials said the assessment results were intended to provide a snapshot of student learning rather than identify specific causes.
As of Friday, education agencies and school systems were reviewing the findings. Federal officials said additional NAEP reading results for fourth- and eighth-grade students are scheduled for release later in 2026.
