Reading scores of elementary and middle school students have been falling since the mid-2010s
Children in the United States are facing what researchers describe as a reading recession as national test scores continue to decline and recovery remains uneven after pandemic disruptions.
A new analysis of test scores from third to eighth graders across more than 5,000 school districts in 38 states shows that reading performance has either declined or remained flat in most parts of the country.
Researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth found that only a small number of states, along with the District of Columbia, recorded meaningful gains in reading between 2022 and 2025.
On average, students remain nearly half a grade level below pre-pandemic reading scores.
Experts caution that the downturn did not begin with COVID-19, but the pandemic accelerated it. Reading scores of elementary and middle school students have been steadily declining since the mid-2010s. It suggests deeper, structural issues in literacy development.
Factors driving the slump include long-term score declines and persistent absenteeism, with one in four North Carolina students missing at least 10% of school days.
Despite ranking ninth in math gains since 2022, North Carolina stands 22nd in reading recovery and remains about half a grade level behind 2019 levels.
Some states, however, are showing improvement by expanding phonics-based instruction and strengthening early literacy programs.
While math scores have generally improved nationwide, reading remains a persistent weak spot in US education, raising concerns about students' long-term academic outcomes.