Lindamood-Bell's Neuroscience-Based Instruction Helps Students Achieve Gains as National Scores Drop

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Oct. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, often referred to as The Nation's Report Card, paints a troubling picture of U.S. high school student readiness. In 2024, 32 percent of 12th graders scored below basic in reading and 45 percent scored below basic in math, both three points lower than in 2019.

According to NAEP, "Scores for lower-performing students at the 10th percentile and 25th percentile was lower in 2024 than in all previous assessment years. As a result, the gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students was also larger in 2024 than in any previous assessment."

"I am deeply concerned about the recent NAEP scores showing that far too many students are reading well below their potential and grade level," said Nanci Bell, literacy expert and co-founder of Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes (LBLP). "After decades of initiatives—including the recent emphasis on the Science of Reading—we are still falling short for the students who rely on us to help them build the skills they need to succeed in learning and in life. We have to take an honest look at why this continues to happen and, more importantly, what we can do differently. Our students deserve better, and it's our responsibility to deliver better results."

Comprehensive, neuroscience-based instruction closes gaps
For more than two decades, LBLP has delivered better results. LBLP's more comprehensive, neuroscience-backed approach has proven effective in significantly improving student reading achievement in schools and districts nationwide. Lindamood-Bell School Partnerships have helped districts nationwide close literacy gaps through a comprehensive, sensory-cognitive approach to reading and comprehension, teacher coaching, and data-driven evaluation that has produced measurable and lasting results:

• Urban District Success in Florida : Students receiving Seeing Stars^® instruction demonstrated significant gains in decoding, fluency, and overall reading achievement.
• Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas : At-risk students achieved statistically significant improvements across all component parts of reading following implementation of Lindamood-Bell instruction.
• Eagle Academy Public Charter Schools, Washington, D.C. : After job-embedded professional development, students achieved normal-range gains across all reading measures in the 2023–24 academic year.

About Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes
Lindamood-Bell believes that all children and adults can learn to read and comprehend to their potential. For nearly 40 years, its evidence-based instruction has changed lives—especially for individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, or autism. Alongside its 50 Learning Centers, Lindamood-Bell provides professional development for educators worldwide and collaborates on peer-reviewed research with leading universities including MIT and Stanford. Visit www.lindamoodbell.com for more information.

Contact: Paul Worthington, Director of Research & Development, [email protected], (805) 541-3836

SOURCE Lindamood-Bell