
(5MinNewsBreak.com) – The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report paints a troubling picture of U.S. educational progress post-COVID-19, with students falling behind in reading skills but improving in math.
Federal funding efforts to counteract these effects seem inadequate, pushing struggling students even further behind.
Nearly five years after the pandemic halted traditional schooling, the 2024 NAEP, known as The Nation’s Report Card, reveals mixed results.
While some students made strides in math recovery, both fourth and eighth graders continue to underperform in reading.
Reading scores have dropped two points, indicating widespread difficulty in comprehension and literacy basics.
Despite funding summer schools and tutoring programs, federal aid has not sufficiently bridged the gap.
Reading proficiency has notably declined, exacerbated by a reduction in students’ reading for enjoyment and basic literacy skills.
According to the report, fourth and eighth graders scored lower than in 2019, revealing increasingly alarming educational gaps.
Federal pandemic aid led to some academic improvements, particularly for higher-performing students. However, nationwide, students are falling behind in fundamental skill levels.
“The news is not good. Our lowest performing students are reading at historically low levels.” Peggy Carr, the National Center for Education Statistics commissioner, said.
The disparity is stark: High-performing students show resilience, particularly in math, while low-performing students see little to no progress.
Chronic absenteeism aggravates this issue, with struggling students disproportionately affected, further hindering collective academic recovery.
Moreover, socioeconomic factors continue to play a significant role in educational performance.
The latest scores show an increasing gap between wealthy and lower-income students, with more affluent students performing better in both reading and math.
The Department of Education (DOE) highlights these findings, stressing the need for targeted interventions that address socioeconomic disparities without delay.
“Today’s NAEP results reveal a heartbreaking reality for American students and confirm our worst fears: most students did not recover from pandemic-related learning loss, and those most in need of support have fallen further behind,” the DOE stressed.
Despite substantial federal funding dedicated to remedying COVID-induced learning losses, improvements remain limited to higher-performing students, revealing inadequacies in nationwide educational strategies.
Addressing these deficits is crucial for restoring the academic prowess of future generations.
As the DOE emphasizes, the focus must be on comprehensive recovery plans that support all students.
Moving forward, America must prioritize effective, evidence-based educational reforms and interventions to close the performance gap and ensure that all students are prepared to meet future challenges.
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