Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Throughout Massachusetts, basic reading and math proficiency has still not recovered from pre-pandemic levels, according to data released Wednesday by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
In 2024, 68% of the state’s fourth graders and 75% of eighth graders were at or above basic proficiency in reading, both the lowest rates since the early 1990s.
Data also shows that 68% of Massachusetts eighth graders were above or at basic proficiency in math, which is the lowest recorded number of students since 1996.
For the state’s fourth graders, 82% had a basic proficiency in math, which is the lowest in about 25 years.
Nationwide, scores in reading dropped from 2022 to 2024, and math scores were stagnant. Both math and reading scores for fourth and eighth grade dropped significantly from pre-pandemic levels.
Massachusetts still ranks higher than the rest of the country in reading and math.