Reading scores are down in American public schools

The just released results of tests that fourth and eighth grader public school students take every other year show that

• The average eighth grade reading score declined in 31 states, compared to scores from 2017.
• The lowest performing students who took the test slipped more than better performing students, though better performing students also slipped.
• Black, white, Hispanic and Native American students showed lower scores while Asian scores remained unchanged.
• For fourth graders, 17 states showed lower reading scores in 2019 compared to 2017.

The tests, officially called The National Assessment of Educational Progress, are sometimes called “the nation’s report card.” They are taken by representative groups of students from around the US.