The National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the “nation’s report card,” released the results of fourth and eighth graders’ reading and math scores in 2024 across the country Wednesday. The report found that Michigan fourth and eighth graders have not seen statistically significant improvements or declines in math or reading scores since the COVID-19 pandemic. It also found that Michigan fourth graders’ reading scores fell slightly behind national averages.
The test, often known by its acronym NAEP, is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the U.S. Department of Education, about every two years. NAEP is administered to randomly selected and representative samples of students in public, charter, and private schools across the country.
Michigan fourth and eighth graders scored marginally lower than national averages for math in 2024. However, the differences were not statistically significant, the state Department of Education said.
Michigan fourth graders did score significantly below national averages for reading, scoring 209 on the assessment compared to a national average of 214. Eighth graders in the state scored marginally lower than national averages, but the difference was also not statistically significant, according to the education department.
Michigan State Superintendent Michael Rice wrote in a statement Wednesday that the results of the assessment mean there is more work to be done in Michigan.
“These results show the need for the recently passed Michigan literacy and dyslexia laws and other reform efforts for which we have advocated, some of which — like Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development for early elementary teachers — have already begun in local schools,” Rice wrote.
Some highlights the education department listed from the 2024 NAEP report for Michigan students include:
- 37% of fourth graders performed at or above the math NAEP proficient level.
- 74% of fourth graders performed at or above the math NAEP basic level.
- 25% of fourth graders performed at or above the reading NAEP proficient level in 2024.
- 55% of fourth graders performed at or above the reading NAEP basic level.
- 24% of eighth graders performed at or above the math NAEP proficient level.
- 57% of eighth graders performed at or above the math NAEP basic level.
- 24% of eighth graders performed at or above the reading NAEP proficient level.
- 65% of eighth graders performed at or above the reading NAEP basic level.
- None of the findings listed above were a statistically significant change compared to 2022 results.
Don Wotruba, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, told Michigan Public that a factor affecting Michigan students’ reading and math scores may be chronic absenteeism.
“We are also a state that has seen higher, what we call, chronic absenteeism, both prior to COVID, and that's been worse since COVID has kind of moved off as a major factor in attendance,” Wotruba told Michigan Public.
Wotruba said NAEP gives Michigan context as to how state education compares to other states and national averages but it does not always tell the whole story.
“I think one of the big debates that we see happening nationally, and I think you see it in both political parties, is really about standardized assessment and whether it does what it is meant to do,” Wotruba said. “If you take these assessments. is it a good judge of whether your kids are achieving at the level they need to? Does it impact what the job market looks like in your state? Once these children leave our schools, are they able to perform?”
