In a year when many states saw steep declines in student performance, Idaho’s results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) stand out. Our students scored above the national average in both reading and mathematics—showing that Idaho is holding strong while others struggle to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
Often called “the Nation’s Report Card,” NAEP is the most reliable measure of how students compare across states. Idaho’s scores dipped only slightly during the pandemic and, in some areas, stayed steady. That means more of our students are staying on track academically—a credit to the hard work of teachers, parents, and school leaders.
In 8th grade reading and mathematics, only two states in the nation statistically scored higher than Idaho students. The news is also significant in grade 4 reading and mathematics, where only 4 states scored higher than Idaho in reading and only 3 states scored higher than Idaho in mathematics. That puts Idaho in the top 5 in the nation all 4 categories measured.
The reasons behind this are no accident. Idaho educators have worked tirelessly to adapt instruction, close learning gaps, and focus on the fundamentals. Targeted interventions, like tutoring programs and summer learning opportunities, have helped students who fell behind. And our state’s emphasis on both rigorous standards, literacy coaching, and local decision-making has given districts the flexibility to meet their students’ unique needs.
This is great news for Idaho employers. The strong academic foundation being built in our public schools lays the foundation of our workforce. These are the students who will soon be contributing to Idaho’s economy in our workplaces.
Idaho’s NAEP results show we’re moving in the right direction. Just one more reason to celebrate the good things happening in public education across the great state of Idaho.
