K-12 Dive

Math and reading scores declined or held steady for special education students on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress — for both 4th and 8th graders — when compared to NAEP results from 2022 and 2019. The biggest decline came with 2024’s average score for 8th-grade math, which dropped to 238, down from 242 in 2022 and 247 in 2019. Looking at reading scores for 2024, 72% of 4th graders with disabilities, including those with a 504 plan, scored below basic — the lowest achievement category. For 8th graders, 66% of students with disabilities scored below basic. The other categories are: at or above basic, at or above proficient, and at advanced. While the decline in scores from pre- and post-COVID-19 performances is disappointing to many in the special education field, the scores from students with disabilities are similar to the average score declines seen for all students.