Southern States Lead Country in Reading and Math Following the Covid Slump
“Louisiana is the only state in the nation where 4th-grade reading achievement on NAEP has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.”
States like Louisiana went back to the basics and it’s paying off big time.
Campus Reform reports:
Southern states lead post-COVID rebound in reading, math scores
Southern states have emerged as unexpected leaders in math and reading scores in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, exceeding the national average.
A report published by the Nation’s Report Card earlier this year revealed an overall decline in reading and mild progress in math in 2024. According to the report, only Alabama (in math) and Louisiana (in reading) have overcome their pre-pandemic scores in one subject and grade.
The National Assessment Governing Board, which governs the Nation’s Report Card, criticized the country’s failure to rebound from the pandemic.
“We need to invest more in the data-informed efforts that have been shown to work so that we lift up our students and accelerate their learning even further,” Chair Beverly Perdue said at the time. “It’s imperative we ensure all young people have the academic foundation they need to succeed in school and in the careers of their choosing.”
Still, since that time, experts have observed a “Southern Surge” in reading scores that they say the rest of the country can and should learn from, especially following historic declines in 2022.
“Louisiana is the only state in the nation where 4th-grade reading achievement on NAEP has surpassed pre-pandemic levels,” Rick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in a July 14 article for Education Next. “In other words, this isn’t one of those foundation-fueled PR exercises—the results are real.”
In addition to Louisiana, Hess highlights notable improvements in reading and math from Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
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