Nation’s Report Card: No Gains In NC Reading, Math Scores

NORTH CAROLINA — A new federal report that measures U.S. students’ performance in reading and math found that average scores declined in the country in three out of four categories and a single one-point gain was made in the score for fourth-grade mathematics.

And while North Carolina didn’t see a major decline in scores, it also didn’t see any gains, according to the study.

Known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” the analysis compares 2019 scores with results in 2017, the last time the assessment was conducted. The report was released by the National Center for Education Statistics on Wednesday and includes scores for fourth-grade reading, eighth-grade reading, fourth-grade math and eighth-grade math. A sample of students from the fourth and eighth grades participated in the assessment.

In a blog post analyzing the results, education officials found that the scores were not significantly different than a decade ago. Once again, the only exception was fourth-grade mathematics, where students made a gain over 10 years.

In North Carolina, here’s how students scored in all four categories:

• Grade 4 mathematics: 241, not significantly different than national average, no significant gains compared to 2017
• Grade 4 reading: 221, not significantly different than national average, no significant gains compared to 2017
• Grade 8 mathematics: 284, higher than national average, no significant gains compared to 2017
• Grade 8 reading: 263, not significantly different than national average, no significant gains compared to 2017

“Over the past decade, there has been no progress in either mathematics of reading performance,” Peggy Carr, an associate commissioner at the center for education statistics, said in a statement. “The lowest performing students — those readers who struggle the most — have made no progress in reading from the first NAEP administration almost 30 years ago.”

Here are the overall nationwide scores:

• Grade 4 mathematics: 241, one point higher compared to 2017
• Grade 4 reading: 220, one point lower compared to 2017
• Grade 8 mathematics: 282, one point lower compared to 2017
• Grade 8 reading: 263, three points lower compared to 2017