In 2024, the percentage of eighth-graders reading below the basic level was the largest in the assessment’s history, and the percentage of fourth-graders who scored below basic was the largest in 20 years.

BOSTON - An educational assessment known as "the Nation's Report Card " has Massachusetts students scoring higher than their peers on math and reading tests given to fourth and eighth graders nationwide in 2024. But a closer look at the data shows concerning trends in the state and across the country when it comes to post-pandemic learning.