SALT LAKE CITY — A "notable decline" in reading scores for eighth-grade Utah students is raising concerns within the state Board of Education.
In a release Wednesday, the board shared how eighth-grade reading scores in 2024 fell by four points compared to those recorded in 2022, but was still above the national average.
While acknowledging the drop in reading for that specific grade, the board said the state had a "largely steady performance" in other areas in the newly released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.
In 2024, the average reading score for an eighth-grade Utah student was 261, down from 265 just two years earlier. In addition, the percentage of students scoring below the Basic level increased by three percent since 2022. The NAEP defines its basic level as denoting "partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at a given grade."
The percentage of those Utah eighth-grade students whose reading skills registered on the NAEP proficient level dropped by three percent.
“The drop in eighth-grade reading scores is part of a broader national trend,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sydnee Dickson, “More children are falling below the proficient level, underscoring the critical need to double down on effective reading interventions and support for our students.”
In mathematics, Utah eighth-graders remained steady over 2022 with a 282 score, which is 10 points higher than the national average.
Utah fourth-graders also saw a drop in reading, although by only two points from two years earlier, and went up two points in mathematics with an overall score of 242.
