AUSTIN, Texas – January 29, 2025 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today announced Texas’s results on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). 2024 NAEP results reinforce what results on the 2024 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) have shown Texas educators - persistent challenges remain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NAEP is administered in reading and math for a sample of students in 4th and 8th grades roughly every two years in every state. 

Texas 4th graders continue to perform better (241) than the national average (237) in mathematics, increasing by two points compared to 2022, with scores increasing across most student groups. African American and Asian students saw 4-point increases compared to 2022, ranking first and second nationally among their peers. Students classified as economically disadvantaged also saw an encouraging 5-point increase, outpacing the national average. In reading, Texas 4th graders saw a 2-point decline, mirroring a trend seen nationally among nearly all student groups. 

In 8th grade, Texas students saw declines in both reading and math, mirroring national trends.  However, Texas’s English Learners performed significantly well compared to their peers, leading the nation in 8th grade reading and math and scoring in the top 5 nationally in both 4th grade reading and math. 

“The latest NAEP results confirm what yearly STAAR assessments have been telling us for all Texas students – pandemic-induced learning gaps remain,” said Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. “Intensive supports for our students and more tools to support parents will be needed to help our students achieve at higher levels.” 

Often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, the NAEP assesses 4th and 8th grade students biannually in reading and math. Administered by the National Center for Education Statistics and overseen by the National Assessment Governing Board, the NAEP serves as a “yardstick” and measures what students in the U.S. know and can do in various subjects over time and compares achievement among states, large urban districts and various student groups. NAEP results are not available for individual students or schools and are not available every year.

While there are key differences between the NAEP and STAAR assessments, 2024 STAAR results align with some performance trends seen on the 2024 NAEP. STAAR has long been proven as a valid, reliable and on-grade level tool for giving Texas schools, educators and families a clear picture of how their students are doing. 2024 STAAR and NAEP data show some evidence that targeted supports are working in earlier grades, while results from both assessments highlight the need for additional resources to support the academic recovery of students in older grades. 

For more information on Texas’s 2024 NAEP results, please visit: nationsreportcard.gov To learn more about the 2024 NAEP, please visit: Home (nagb.gov). 

*Statistically significant differences between 2022 and 2024 Scale Score
Note: Disability status of student, including those with 504 plan 

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