See How AACPS' Test Scores Compare Amid National Reading Decline

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Students enrolled in Anne Arundel County Public Schools are learning at rates faster than the U.S. average, according to a new analysis that looks at how student performance was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth, examined third- through eighth-grade test scores from more than 5,000 school districts in 38 states for the Education Scorecard project. Overall, they found U.S. students remain nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading levels, reflecting a long-running “reading recession” worsened by the pandemic.

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Students across the country are tested annually on math and reading to measure how well they are learning foundational skills that schools, states and policymakers consider essential for academic success and future employment.

Related: Here's How MD Reading, Math Scores Compare Nationally

Data showed that as test scores were improving over time within the school district, AACPS students learned an average of 1.08 grade levels.

The analysis also determined that the county ranked higher than 76% of districts nationwide in average learning rates.

When it came down to reading and math performances, AACPS students ranked higher than 66% and 41% of districts nationwide, respectively.

Broken down by gender, the district saw reading averages by girls land in the 72nd percentile while boys were ranked in the 56th percentile.

For maths, both boys and girls were at about the same level. Girls ranked in the 39th percentile, while boys averaged at the 40th percentile.

Researchers found that only five states and the District of Columbia posted significant gains in reading between 2022 and 2025.

“The pandemic was the mudslide that had followed seven years of steady erosion in achievement,” Thomas Kane, a Harvard professor involved in the project,” told The Associated Press

Reading scores have been declining nationally since 2013 for eighth graders and 2015 for fourth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Researchers point to several possible causes, including increased smartphone and social media use and reduced recreational reading.

Still, the report identified signs of improvement in some states and districts, particularly those adopting phonics-based instruction known as the “science of reading.”

Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana all implemented statewide reading reforms emphasizing phonics and additional support for struggling students.

In Modesto, California, schools revamped reading instruction during the pandemic and expanded teacher training programs. The district paid educators to complete specialized literacy training and created a department focused on students learning English. Researchers said Modesto students gained the equivalent of 13 extra weeks of learning in reading and 18 weeks in math compared with similar districts.

Math scores showed broader improvement nationwide. Nearly every state analyzed recorded gains in math from 2022 to 2025, and absenteeism declined in most states.

Detroit also emerged as a bright spot, with district leaders crediting both literacy reforms and efforts to improve attendance. A 2016 lawsuit over school conditions led to a $94 million settlement that funded additional reading support staff and attendance outreach programs.

“It allows us to be better educators to see kids consistently in the seat instead of once or twice a week,” Detroit teacher Samantha Ciaffone told The AP.

Southern states stood out in the analysis for sustained academic gains. Louisiana was the only state to surpass its pre-pandemic reading average, while Louisiana and Alabama were the only states where math scores exceeded 2019 levels. Alabama lawmakers credited statewide phonics instruction and new math reforms for the improvements.

Researchers said the gains demonstrate that recovery is possible despite continuing national challenges.

“We made enormous progress as a country in terms of educational success from over a 30-year period,” Stanford professor Sean Reardon told The AP. “As a country, we can improve education and educational opportunity.”

» See how other districts performed.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.