Math and reading skills for students in Arkansas remained nearly unchanged from 2022 to 2024, according to the 2024 Nation's Report Card released yesterday.
Federal data from The National Assessment of Educational Progress in math and reading compiles a sample of 4th and 8th graders from each state to measure national learning progress. A random sample of 3,600 4th graders and 3,600 8th graders from 196 public schools in Arkansas took the assessment this time last year.
According to the data, Arkansas students' scores fell below the national average in every category, but were statistically the same compared to the previous report card. Nationally, average math scores rose slightly, while reading scores dropped by two points for both grades. Both math and reading scores are below their pre-pandemic averages.