NH Student Test Scores Down, But Still Above National Average

On Monday, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released The Nation’s Report Card, which provides detailed information about student achievement and learning.

In New Hampshire, fourth and eighth-grade students were tested in math and reading. There were 1,800 fourth-grade students tested in math, while there were 1,700 fourth-grade students tested in reading and 1,700 eighth-grade students tested in both math and reading. The 2022 tests were administered from January to March and were the first NAEP tests to be conducted since 2019 because of the pandemic.

Although New Hampshire’s average test scores are down from 2019, New Hampshire students are still scoring above the national average in both math and reading. New Hampshire was one of only four states that scored above the national average in both subjects for both grade levels.

“Despite our achievements compared to the national average, New Hampshire scores dropped across the board since 2019, including substantial declines in math,” said Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education. “While we expected declines as a result of missed learning from the pandemic, we also know that more work needs to be done and more steps need to be taken to ensure students are set up for future success. It is our hope that, understanding how difficult the past few years have been on students, we continue to provide them with every support available to close equity gaps, accelerate learning and not only recover, but aim higher.”

The Nation’s Report Card, in conjunction with other data, provides critical data that educators, policymakers and families should use to inform and improve teaching and learning. New Hampshire scores follow a national trend, with zero states showing gains in math for either grade level.

“Now is the time for those of us in leadership positions to take a hard look at the data, what we’re seeing on the Nation’s Report Card and on other key measures, and use that to guide our decision making so that all students can overcome the challenges of the moment and access high-quality education,” said Edelblut, adding districts and educators across the state are keenly aware of these needs and have been working hard to address them.

Covid relief funds are being used throughout New Hampshire school districts to target areas of need and prioritize students. In addition, numerous efforts were launched earlier this year to combat missed learning, including a partnership between the New Hampshire Department of Education and Tutor.com to provide free tutoring to all grade 6-12 students, a collaboration with Lexia to create literacy champions and advance reading skills among our youth, and ENGAGE New Hampshire, which provides academic success coaches to help students stay on track, among other initiatives.

Explore the results at www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

This story is courtesy of InDepthNH, the NH Center for Public Interest Journalism. Link to article