Map Shows Reading and Math Scores Across US States as Kentucky Hails Growth
Improving reading skills remains the more persistent challenge across the U.S., while students are faring better in math.
New data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals stark disparities in reading and math achievement across U.S. states since 2022. Kentucky stands out as a state that has shown significant growth in both subjects, ranking fifth for reading improvement and eighth for math improvement, according to Kentucky Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher. While most states have seen a resurgence in math scores, only a select few have managed to improve reading skills during the same period.
The Education Recovery Scorecard, a joint effort by Harvard and Stanford universities, highlights that reading difficulties predate the COVID-19 pandemic and had already stalled before the pandemic's onset. Researchers found that declines between 2017 and 2024 mirrored the deterioration experienced in the 2019 to 2022 timeframe, suggesting that the pandemic exacerbated an existing issue rather than causing it.
Despite a slight uptick in reading achievement between 2024 and 2025, the overall state of reading performance remains concerning, with eighth-grade scores hitting a 30-year low and fourth-grade results reverting to levels last seen prior to 2003.
Only eight out of the 35 jurisdictions with comparable reading data witnessed growth between 2022 and 2025. Washington, D.C., recorded the most substantial improvement, gaining 0.335 grade levels, followed by Louisiana (0.219), Maryland (0.196), and Tennessee (0.175). Kentucky, however, experienced a 0.119 grade-level increase in reading. In contrast, Florida suffered the most significant decline at 0.575 grade levels, closely followed by Arizona and Nebraska, each losing around half a grade level.
Dr. Elizabeth Adams, a clinical child psychologist and co-founder of Ello, offers insight into the disparity between reading and math progress. She posits that math is primarily taught within the classroom, whereas reading development extends beyond school walls. Factors such as reading at home, family involvement, and a child's enjoyment of reading significantly influence reading growth.
Adams elaborates that since reading comprehension relies heavily on vocabulary and background knowledge accumulated in earlier years, a weak foundation in the early grades can manifest as comprehension issues later on.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
