Last year’s NAEP scores reveal a nation of struggling students
The latest NAEP numbers that we have are from 2024 aren’t exactly what we were hoping for—reading scores are still largely heading in the wrong direction. On the NAEP assessment, both fourth and eighth graders saw a two-point drop in their average reading scores compared to the last round.
For 13-year-olds, the long-term trend scores fell by four points since 2020. That might sound like a small shift to someone outside the education world, but it’s a big deal. The national average for reading among 13-year-olds now sits at 256 out of 500—the lowest it’s been since the early 2000s. And for students who are already struggling, their scores are starting to resemble levels we haven’t seen since the 1970s.
Break down the 2024 NAEP results, and it’s clear: nearly every group of students is taking a hit on reading, one of the fundamental building blocks of a functional education.
…But have some taken a harder hit than others?
We need to address the number of struggling students that SpLD NAEP scores reveal
NAEP results in recent years highlightpersistent challenges for students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD)—which means a lot of struggling students finding it hard to reach proficiency.
In the 2024 assessment, about 72% of fourth graders with disabilities scored below the basic reading level, with similar results for eighth graders where 66% scored below basic. For math, 53% of fourth graders and 74% of eighth graders with disabilities scored below basic. On average, students with learning disabilities score roughly40 points lower than their peers without disabilities on the NAEP fourth-grade reading test—more than a full standard deviation. These gaps partially reflect the shortage of specially trained educators and under-resourced schools that can provide the early interventions and structured supports these students need on the funding they have access to.
English Language Learners (ELLs) also need more support than they’re getting
When it comes to struggling students and reading needs, we know that ELLs have some of the largest NAEP score gaps to cover: in 2022, 67% of those coming to the classroom from a primary language other than English failed to attain basic mastery level. And that wasn’t a surprise—it’s a figure that’s hardly moved the needle in the direction of improvement since 2011. If we expand the data out, we can see that in recent years, ELLs fall below basic mastery of reading and math at roughly twice the rate (higher in some years) than non-ELL students. They’re also less likely to reach proficient and advanced levels compared to non-ELL peers.
Why are struggling student numbers in the ELL demographic so high? Because English Language Learners (ELLs) face a variety of challenges that can impact their ability to engage with education. First, language proficiency plays a major role—since the NAEP is administered in English, ELLs must navigate complex academic language alongside content mastery, making it harder to fully respond and demonstrate their understanding.
But language is only one part of the puzzle. Many ELL students come from diverse educational backgrounds, including interrupted or limited schooling which can leave gaps in foundational knowledge. Additionally, inconsistent access to high-quality bilingual education or tailored support often means ELLs aren’t receiving instruction in a way that bridges language and content effectively. And socioeconomic factors frequently compound these issues, as ELL students are more likely to attend under-resourced schools with fewer academic supports.
Black and Hispanic students face ongoing NAEP score challenges, too
Black and Hispanic students are still facing achievement gaps compared to their white and Asian classmates. For example, in 2022, the average reading score for Black fourth graders was 206 compared to 235 for white fourth graders, a 29-point gap. Similarly, Hispanic fourth graders scored 215 on average, 20 points behind white students. Students identifying as two or more races also saw the biggest reading drop (down by eight points).
Even though there’s been an upward trajectory in their NAEP scores over the decades, Black and Hispanic students still score below proficient levels in key subjects like reading and math at a higher frequency than white and Asian peers. Institutional bias likely plays a large part, and again, there’s a socio-economic element to it to consider: many Black and Hispanic students attend under-resourced schools in poorer areas, with higher resource competition and less available funding to dedicate to supports.
Are absences driving an increase in struggling students?
A closer look at absenteeism reveals another part of the story.
Since 2020, chronic absenteeism–defined as missing a substantial number of school days–has surged and stayed stubbornly high. NAEP scores are particularly dire for students who miss the most school: among the lowest NAEP scorers, high rates of absenteeism are much more common.
And our 2024 NAEP scores highlight this unfortunate pattern: even after the initial pandemic waves, absenteeism is not back down to pre-pandemic levels.
Too many students are simply not in the classroom regularly enough to keep up. The result? Gaps in foundational skills that grow month by month, and more students scoring in the lowest groups on NAEP scores.
Support struggling students across key demographics with C-Pen Reader 3!
If you’re searching for a way to stop the NAEP scores from sliding and give struggling students in key demographics their reading confidence back, C-Pen Reader 3 is a game-changer. It’s a reading pen designed by educators and crafted by the experts at C-Pen, with the express intention of supporting students with a wide range of reading needs – from those with dyslexia and other learning differences to ELLs and anyone who needs a boost in reading confidence.
And it’s as simple as scan, listen, understand. Just move the pen across the page to hear the words relayed back via lighting-fast text-to-speech audio, and students can even hone skills further with practice mode, speedy translation in 40+ languages, scan-to-file functionality and a handy voice recorder.
Here's how it all makes supporting struggling students simpler:
💡 Reader 3 reduces the need for additional reading specialists or paraprofessionals by providing individualized support right there at the student’s desk, whether they need language support, a comprehension boost, or just something to break down anxiety and the barrier between them and the words on the page.
💸 But here’s the key thing: Reader 3 cuts down on the cost of expensive support software licenses and ongoing subscription fees whilst delivering award-winning levels of reading support. Meaning that you can put more reading support in the hands of more struggling students, and everyone gets access to the support they need to thrive without breaking the bank.
🗣️ Dedicated text-to-speech functionality creates inclusive classrooms by enabling all students to access grade-level content, regardless of their reading ability, as well as save, record and practice, defining difficult words as they go along and without disruption.
⏰ It also frees up teacher time in lessons, so that you can focus on whole-class instruction or small-group intervention, rather than one-on-one reading support. You’ve only got so many hours in the day, and a lesson is usually less than one of those: Reader 3 puts teachers in a position where they can make every second count for every student.
📈 And Reader 3 also comes with free access to training resources and lesson plans, so your team and your students can hit the ground running, because time is something we don’t have, when it comes to literacy.
…But it’s not just another gadget. Reader 3 is a practical, customizable and proven solution for schools looking to deliver better literacy outcomes for every struggling student. It’s created for the express purpose of leveling the playing field and keeping education as accessible and as fair as possible, and challenging the idea that reading support has to be expensive to be effective.
And even in schools and districts where support funding just doesn’t seem to go far enough, reading pen implementation is scalable to the level of need, with no ongoing software costs to worry about or satellite requirement for other technologies, like laptops and tablets.
It’s not designed to raise NAEP scores: it’s designed to put the power to read with confidence in every learner’s hand at a price point that schools can access, to ensure that everyone has the tools, the ease and the self-belief they need to succeed.
…But those NAEP scores still climb regardless, when every learner has access to the work and the confidence they need to succeed.
And if you’re looking for more information on how to get the most from your reading pen…
We get it. In the age of information overload, when the stakes are high, sometimes you just need to make sure you’re making the right decisions with the funding you have available. That’s why we offer schools a FREE trial – so that you can see the benefits of reading pens in real-time, live in your own classroom.
Working at a district level? You can take part in our Scanning Pens District Pilot Program, to explore a better way of resourcing reading support on a large scale, and improving outcomes for each and every group of learners that these NAEP scores highlight as at risk.
Whatever your setting, we’re here to help.
Call us on: +1 727 316 8101
Email: usinfo@scanningpens.com
