Delaware’s Reading Crisis: Eighth-Grade Literacy Plummets to Lowest Level in 27 Years!

Delaware’s Governor Matt Meyer has raised an alarm about reading skills in the state, calling it a “literacy emergency.” Recent national test scores show that eighth-grade reading scores in Delaware have dropped to a 27-year low in 2024. However, there was a bright note — fourth graders made gains in math post-COVID.

The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the Nation’s Report Card, highlights a troubling trend: students in Delaware are trailing behind their peers nationwide in reading. Fourth graders scored an average of 210, lower than the national average of 214. Eighth graders scored 249, compared to the national average of 257.

In the latest assessment, 45% of fourth graders in Delaware scored below the basic reading level. While this is a slight improvement from 1998 and 2022, when 47% fell below this level, it remains concerning. The percentage of students at the basic level was 29%, and 20% were considered proficient. Only 6% of students achieved an advanced rating, an improvement from 5% in 1998.

For eighth graders, the situation is not much better. In 2024, 41% scored below basic proficiency in reading, which is a five-point increase compared to 1998. Delaware’s scores in reading lag behind the national averages across all proficiency levels.

Peggy Carr, an associate commissioner of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, pointed out that the struggle is largely about reading comprehension. She noted that Delaware’s struggling readers are performing similarly to those from three decades ago.

Carr emphasized that the issues with reading skills originated before the pandemic. “The pandemic certainly made things worse, but the decline began earlier, from 2017 to 2019,” she explained. Many states, including Delaware, saw this trend.

Responding to the crisis, Governor Meyer stated, “Today marks a turning point for Delaware. We have a literacy emergency, and it is time for shared accountability and unwavering support for every child.”

Source link

delaware schools,first state focus,school test scores