US Children’s Reading Skills Plummet: A Crisis of Parents, Schools, and Policy
The National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals a continued decline in American students’ reading skills and minimal improvement in math since the COVID-19 pandemic. While some high-performing students are recovering lost ground, lower-performing students are falling further behind, exacerbating existing inequalities. Declining scores are attributed to various factors including chronic absenteeism and a reduced emphasis on reading for enjoyment. Despite some localized successes, driven by targeted interventions, the overall picture remains concerning, indicating a need for urgent and comprehensive educational reforms.
John Q. Hosedrinker