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.
On the 2024 math assessment, 53% of 4th graders and 74% of 8th graders with disabilities scored below basic.
NAEP special education reading scores continue to fall
Scores for all students dropped
While the decline in scores from pre- and post-COVID-19 performances are 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.
Reading scores in 2024 for both 4th and 8th graders overall dropped 5 points from 2019 levels. For math, the average score decreased by 3 points for 4th graders and 8 points for 8th graders between 2019 and 2024.
Education experts cite the lingering impacts of COVID-19 learning loss and high rates of chronic absenteeism as possible explanations for declining NAEP scores. A severe shortage of special educators could explain the low performance of students with disabilities, the experts say.
For the 2024 NAEP cycle, students with disabilities comprised 13% to 15% of test takers. NAEP considers students with disabilities as those who may need specially designed instruction to meet their learning goals. A student with a disability will usually have an individualized education program.
2024 NAEP special education math scores drop from 2019
About 90% of students with disabilities participated in the 4th and 8th grade NAEP math assessments for 2024, and about 65% did so with accommodations. For the reading assessments, 89% of students with disabilities participated, and 63% used accommodations.
Andrew Kahn, associate director of expertise and strategic design at Understood, a nonprofit that offers resources for people with learning differences, said the key to seeing large-scale reading improvements is investments in early educational screening and targeted interventions with evidence-based learning approaches.
"The takeaway message for states is that you must consistently invest in screening early readers and provide evidence-based interventions, particularly structured literacy," Kahn said in an email. "We know more today than ever before how to support readers. But states have to make a consistent investment in both finding and supporting these learners."
Where performances improved
While the 2024 national results for students with disabilities were disappointing, there were several state and local bright spots.
Alaska, for example, increased average reading scores for 4th graders with disabilities by 13 points from 2019 to 2024. Idaho saw a 17-point bump in 4th grade reading for students with disabilities from 2022 to 2024.
For 8th grade reading, the District of Columbia increased scores of students with disabilities by 10 points from 2019 to 2024.
In math, Massachusetts recorded 12-point growth from 2022 to 2024 for 4th graders with disabilities.
But for 8th grade math, no state increased scores for students with disabilities in 2024 over 2019 and 2022 results.
One state stands out for performance increases across subjects, student groups and grade levels. Louisiana increased 4th grade reading scores for all students between 2019 and 2024. The state also saw higher scores for students with disabilities in 4th grade reading and math from 2022 to 2024.
The improvements in Louisiana can be credited to the state's efforts to boost coordination and collaboration between general and special education instruction and other programming, said Jenna Chiasson, deputy superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education's office of teaching and learning, and Meredith Jordan, executive director of diverse learners.
For example, there’s a consistent and mindful intention to have special education professionals participate in decision-making for instructional practices and policies at the local and state levels, they said.
"We will continue with this strategy that is proving results for us, and continuing to break down and really blurring the lines between general education and special education in our state," Jordan said.
Chiasson and Jordan also point to the state's Special Education Playbook that emphasizes special education students are general education students first — and that students with disabilities should be academically challenged and have access to high-quality instruction and supports.
The state is continuing to ensure educators at the state, district and school levels have these best practices and also that parents are supported, they said.
"Despite this incredible progress, we still don't have all students achieving mastery and performing at grade level in reading and math," Jordan said. "And so until we reach that point, we will always be dedicated and ensuring this consistent implementation of our instructional best practices across our state."
NAEP, which is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what the nation's students know and can do in various subject areas.
