According to the test known as the nation’s report card, U.S. student reading scores have also gone down again, following a steady decline that began before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average reading score for eighth graders on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress test was significantly different from 2022 and 2019. Scores were two points lower than in 2022 and five points lower than in 2019.
According to the data, only 30% of eighth-grade students performed at or above the test’s proficient level, demonstrating solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter.
Among Utah eighth graders, average reading scores decreased by four points compared to 2022 and by five points compared to 2019.
According to the report card, 31% of Utah students in eighth grade performed at the test’s proficient level, which is not significantly different from 2022.
In the Wasatch Back, half of the school districts have improved eighth-grade English Language Arts scores since 2022. That’s based on data from a state assessment test of English Language Arts and reading proficiency. While not the same as the National Assessment of Educational Progress test, it provides the best comparison, as not all eighth graders in Utah take the national assessment.
Park City School District improved scores the most. In the 2021-2022 school year, 51.9% of eighth graders were proficient in English Language Arts. That score increased by almost 8% in the 2023-2024 school year.
North Summit School District scores increased by 1% in that timeframe with 55.8% of eighth graders proficient in 2024.
Wasatch County School District and South Summit School District proficiency levels went down from 2022 to 2024. Almost 58% of Wasatch eighth graders were proficient in English Language Arts in 2024, a 1.7% decrease from 2022.
South Summit had the largest proficiency decrease; 44.4% of eighth graders were proficient in 2024, an 8.5% decrease from 2022.
However, all Wasatch Back school districts performed better than the state average of around 42% in both 2022 and 2024.
