National reading scores just fell to some of their lowest levels on record, and the children falling furthest behind are the ones who were already struggling most. The 2024 NAEP results—known as “The Nation’s Report Card” and released in 2025—showed average reading scores declined 2 points for both 4th and 8th graders compared to 2022, and 5 points compared to 2019. For parents of kids who find reading hard, including kids with dyslexia, these numbers are a signal worth understanding.
What do the 2024 NAEP reading results actually show?
The 2024 NAEP results, released in 2025, showed average reading scores fell again. Compared to 2022, scores dropped 2 points for both 4th and 8th graders. Compared to 2019, before the pandemic, they dropped 5 points at both grades.
The most striking findings are at the bottom of the scale. About 40% of 4th graders scored below NAEP “Basic” in reading—the largest share since 2002. Roughly one-third of 8th graders scored below “Basic,” the largest share ever recorded. Fewer than a third of students at either grade reached the NAEP “Proficient” level. The declines were driven mainly by lower-performing students, and the lowest performers posted their worst reading scores in over 30 years.
What is NAEP, and why does it matter?
NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, is a large national test that measures what students across the country know in subjects like reading and math. It is run by the National Center for Education Statistics and the National Assessment Governing Board, and the results are published at nationsreportcard.gov.
Because the same test is given the same way over many years, NAEP is one of the most reliable ways to see how American students are doing over time. The 2024 results were widely reported by outlets including NPR and Chalkbeat. When NAEP scores move, they reflect real changes in how millions of children are reading.
What does scoring “below Basic” mean for a child?
NAEP sorts performance into levels: below “Basic,” “Basic,” “Proficient,” and “Advanced.” “Basic” is below grade level. So when about 40% of 4th graders score below “Basic,” it means a large group of children are reading below even a basic command of grade-level material.
For a 4th grader, that can look like struggling to sound out unfamiliar words, reading slowly and effortfully, or finishing a paragraph without remembering what it said. These are exactly the difficulties that explicit reading instruction is designed to address—and exactly the children most likely to be left behind when that instruction is missing.
Does a national average tell me anything about my own child?
Honestly, no national average can tell you how your individual child reads. Your child is not a data point. But these results do tell us something important: many kids—especially struggling readers and those with dyslexia—aren’t getting the explicit, structured reading instruction they need.
Dyslexia affects about 20% of people, or roughly 1 in 5. With so many children reading below grade level nationally, it is worth paying close attention if reading feels unusually hard for your child. Trust what you see at home, and don’t assume that “they’ll catch up” on their own.
What kind of reading instruction actually helps?
The instruction research supports is explicit, systematic, multisensory structured literacy—the approach at the heart of the Science of Reading. Instead of guessing words from pictures or context, children are taught directly how letters and sounds work, in a clear sequence, with plenty of practice. This is the same set of methods used in Orton-Gillingham instruction, long considered the gold standard for teaching kids with dyslexia.
You don’t have to wait for the system to change. If your child struggles, you can start structured help at home and ask the school for screening. Apricot Tree Academy’s structured-literacy curriculum was built for exactly this—an Orton-Gillingham–based, parent-friendly program that walks you step by step through teaching your 5–10-year-old to read, even with no special training. You can find it on Amazon and begin this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When were the 2024 NAEP reading results released?
The 2024 NAEP results—“The Nation’s Report Card”—were released in 2025. They showed average reading scores declined 2 points for both 4th and 8th graders compared to 2022, and 5 points compared to 2019.
How many 4th graders are reading below “Basic”?
About 40% of 4th graders scored below NAEP “Basic” in reading—the largest share since 2002. For 8th graders, roughly one-third scored below “Basic,” the largest share ever recorded.
Does “Basic” mean grade level?
No. NAEP “Basic” is below grade level. Scoring below “Basic” means a child has not yet reached even a basic command of grade-level reading. Fewer than a third of students reached the “Proficient” level.
Which students were most affected by the decline?
The declines were driven mainly by lower-performing students. The lowest performers posted their worst reading scores in over 30 years, which means struggling readers—including many kids with dyslexia—are falling further behind.
What can I do if my child is struggling to read?
Don’t wait. Start explicit, structured literacy help at home and ask your child’s school for a dyslexia screening. The research-backed approach is systematic, multisensory instruction grounded in the Science of Reading and Orton-Gillingham methods.