For Minnesota middle-schoolers, low scores on the Nation's Report Card "translate into an alarming difficulty deciphering the main idea of a reading passage or trouble understanding key words and phrases," Denise Johnson writes. (Gary Reyes/Tribune News Service)

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The latest troubling news on national student achievement shows the need to fiercely focus on improving basic skills.

American kids are generally holding flat or doing worse on national reading and math tests. Recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores document how U.S. students continue to lose ground on reading and show little improvement in math.

NAEP exams, often referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” are considered one of the best measures of American student achievement. Administered every two years to a sample of America’s children, the tests provide a valid tool to compare educational progress state-to-state. The most recent exam was administered in early 2024, testing fourth and eighth grade students in math and reading.

While Minnesota student scores are slightly better than the national averages, they remain relatively flat compared to the 2022 results. It’s particularly concerning that 39% of Minnesota fourth-graders scored below basic levels in reading; and the below-basic level of eighth-graders rose slightly to 29% — the highest percentage ever for this grade level since the reading test was first given 27 years ago.

For Minnesota middle-schoolers, those percentages translate into an alarming difficulty deciphering the main idea of a reading passage or trouble understanding key words and phrases. Like many other states, large disparities in reading comprehension remain between white children and Black or Hispanic kids.

And don’t blame it on COVID-19. Educational experts say there is now more to the basic skills slide than pandemic-related learning loss. So, what can and must be done to reverse the trend?

Educators should intensify use of research-driven reading curricula. To that end, the Read Act passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023 shows promise. It requires districts to select from three state-approved literacy plans that emphasize phonics, vocabulary and phonemic awareness.
Chronic absenteeism continues to be problematic. Districts must continue to beef up outreach efforts to get students back in school and make classroom instruction more engaging and relevant.
Time on task matters; increasing the number of school days might be considered. At 165, Minnesota has among the lowest requirements for the number of days kids must be in school.
Families and communities must bear the lion’s share of reversing the negative scholastic achievement trend. They can do this by intentionally emphasizing reading and math skills in everyday activities, supporting tutoring, encouraging reading for fun and continuing to address the formidable challenges of reducing young people’s leisure screen time.

“The news is not good,” said Peggy Carr, NAEP commissioner. Still, she added there is reason for optimism and offered Louisiana as an example. The Bayou State dug in on the science of reading, with its focus on teaching phonics. The effort has resulted in improved reading proficiency and higher test scores.

“I would not say that hope is lost, and I would not say that we cannot turn this around,” Carr said. “It’s been demonstrated that we can.”