The nation's students are deep in a reading recession. Here's how L.A. and California fit in

"Across the country, the U.S. is experiencing a reading recession - a slide in the reading skills of students that predates pandemic school disruption, but there are several relative bright spots in California that include the Modesto, Compton and Los Angeles school districts, researchers say."

"What they found was sobering: Only five states plus the District of Columbia had meaningful growth in reading test scores from 2022 to 2025, the period when schools faced the challenge of recovering from pandemic-era setbacks. Like most states, California reading scores declined."

"Nationally, students remain nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading scores from 2019 and only slightly better in math. In California, students are about a third of a year behind pre-pandemic levels in reading. In math it is about a quarter of a year behind, the study showed."

"Reading test scores have been falling since 2013 for eighth-graders and 2015 for fourth-graders - well before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also called the Nation's Report Card, which tests a sample of students from across the coun"

Researchers analyzed state test scores from third through eighth grade across more than 5,000 school districts in 38 states using a national Education Scorecard. Only five states plus the District of Columbia showed meaningful reading test score growth from 2022 to 2025, while most states declined, including California. California ranked 29th in academic growth in reading among states with adequate data and 19th in math growth. Nationally, students remain nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading scores from 2019 and only slightly better in math. In California, students are about a third of a year behind in reading and about a quarter of a year behind in math, equivalent to roughly 45 school days or nine weeks. Reading declines began years before COVID-19, with eighth-grade scores falling since 2013 and fourth-grade scores since 2015.

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