National literacy, math scores reveal troubling trend continues despite small gains

95 Percent Group's Laura Stewart provides analysis of long-term trend results

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New data released Wednesday reveals how 9- and 13-year-old students in the United States are performing in reading and math, adding to long-term trends that span generations of learners.

The 2025 NAEP Long-Term Trend results offer an encouraging sign for younger students. Nine-year-olds posted gains in both reading and math, demonstrating improvement is possible when students receive effective instruction, intervention and support. At the same time, there's continued stagnation among 13-year-olds, confirming too many students are reaching middle school and beyond without the ability to access increasingly complex texts and content. It also underscores the importance of upper-grade educators receiving the professional learning, resources and systemwide support they need to provide ongoing, evidence-aligned foundational instruction.

"The gains among 9-year-olds are encouraging. They remind us that progress is possible. But this is not a moment to declare victory. These scores bring students back to where they were more than a decade ago. If we were discussing a serious health condition, we would not celebrate moving from critical status to merely concerning. We would continue the work until patients were thriving. Education deserves the same level of urgency," said Laura Stewart, Chief Academic Officer at 95 Percent Group.

"The lack of progress among 13-year-olds should be a shock to the system. It's not OK to let them continue to languish in mediocrity. We are not facing an adolescent literacy challenge. We are facing an adolescent literacy emergency. We know what works. States and districts that have moved the needle have done so through a relentless commitment to evidence-based instruction, sustained professional learning, data-driven intervention and coherence across systems. The question is no longer whether these approaches work, but whether we are willing to implement them broadly and consistently enough to ensure every student benefits. We must strive to hold ourselves accountable for implementing what works at scale, and that includes supporting our teachers as priority one and setting them up for success. This is hard work, but it has to be done. It's not hyperbole to say the opportunities afforded to our young people depend on it."

Among the findings:

• Average reading and math scores for 9-year-olds increased by four points compared to the previous assessment in 2022.
• Average reading and math scores for 13-year-olds remained stagnant compared to the 2023 assessment and below pre-pandemic levels.
• Performance among lower-performing students narrowed achievement gaps among 9-year-olds, with gains among students in the 10th and 25th percentiles.

The release comes amid longstanding concerns about student achievement. A greater focus on foundational instruction and intervention for students and professional learning for teachers, which are all controllable, would help build quality, sustainable ecosystems that would change the trajectory on student outcomes.

Established by Congress, the National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, nonpartisan board that determines the subjects and content the National Assessment of Educational Progress assesses, sets achievement levels and oversees the release of results.

About 95 Percent Group

95 Percent Group is an educational publishing and technology company whose mission is to build on science to empower teachers with the knowledge, resources and support they need to develop strong learners. The recent acquisitions of TouchMath and All About Learning Press (AALP) allow the company to serve a growing number of districts and schools, including the homeschool and small private school learning market, with trusted, proven foundational skills solutions for both literacy and math. 95 Percent Group is also committed to advancing research, best practices, and thought leadership on the science of reading, science of math, and science of learning more broadly. For more information, visit 95percentgroup.com.

SOURCE 95 Percent Group