The Persistent Struggle of NYC Students: A Deep Dive into the 2024 NAEP Results
The latest "Nation’s Report Card," officially known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), paints a concerning picture of academic achievement in New York City. While there have been signs of recovery from the pandemic-induced slump, the 2024 results reveal a persistent struggle for city students, particularly in math, where they continue to trail behind state and national averages. This underperformance highlights the need for a comprehensive reassessment of the city’s educational system, from its fundamental structure to its implementation.
The 2024 NAEP results show that only 33% of fourth graders in New York City achieved proficiency in math, a slight improvement from the dismal 23% recorded in 2022 during the peak of remote learning. However, this figure remains below both the state and national averages of 39% and 37%, respectively. While the city celebrates a return to pre-pandemic levels, this benchmark itself represents a persistent gap in achievement compared to other students across the state and nation. The eighth-grade math scores remained stagnant, mirroring the trend observed in reading proficiency for both fourth and eighth graders. This stagnation underscores the formidable challenge of bridging the learning gap widened by the pandemic and achieving significant academic progress.
The struggles are not uniform across demographics. A stark racial disparity persists, with only 16% of Black and Hispanic fourth graders achieving math proficiency, a striking contrast to the 53% and 58% proficiency rates for White and Asian students, respectively. This chasm in achievement points to systemic inequities that demand urgent attention and targeted interventions. The marginalized students, who bore the brunt of the pandemic’s disruptions, now face an even steeper uphill climb to catch up with their peers. This disparity calls for a focused approach to address the root causes of this educational inequality.
While the city’s Department of Education acknowledges the need for continued improvement, their response to the NAEP data emphasizes the "resilience" of students and educators, highlighting the return to pre-pandemic levels as a sign of progress. However, experts like Eric Nadelstern, former deputy chancellor under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, advocate for a radical "rethinking of schools from top to bottom." He argues that simply returning to pre-pandemic levels is insufficient, given the existing achievement gap that predates the pandemic. The focus, he suggests, should be on addressing the underlying systemic issues that perpetuate this gap.
The recovery narrative presented by the city’s education officials is challenged by the persistent disparity and the stagnation in certain areas. Marielys Divanne, Executive Director of Educators for Excellence–New York, voices concern over the lack of significant post-pandemic improvement, particularly regarding these disparities. She calls for proactive measures to address these systemic inequities rather than passively accepting the status quo. The call to action is clear: simply returning to pre-pandemic levels is not enough. Addressing the deep-rooted issues that contribute to these disparities must be prioritized.
The 2024 NAEP results serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in New York City’s education system. The data reveals not only the lingering impact of the pandemic but also the persistent achievement gap that separates city students from their state and national counterparts, and, even more concerningly, the deep racial divide in educational outcomes. The road to recovery and achieving genuine educational equity requires a comprehensive and sustained effort to address the systemic issues at play. This involves moving beyond simply restoring pre-pandemic levels and embracing transformative change that ensures every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed.
