National assessment shows gains in math for Guilford County fourth graders

The U.S. Department of Education released data this week on how the country’s students performed in math and reading in 2024. 

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, is a test administered to a random sample of fourth and eighth graders every two years. 

It’s known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” and provides a common measure to see how students across the country are performing. 

Guilford County Schools is one of 26 large urban school systems that receive district-level NAEP results. Data shows GCS students scored higher or on par with the majority of their peers. 

A specific bright spot was in fourth grade math. The average score was slightly higher than the pre-pandemic average in 2019, and there were increases for both high and low-performing student groups. 

Superintendent Whitney Oakley credits a few specific strategies for that. 

“Access to high-quality curriculum, starting with kindergarten, so making sure that students have a conceptual understanding of math from the very first day of school all the way through," she said. "I think the professional learning and the coaching that we've provided for our teachers in math is also something that we can attribute there.”

Eighth-grade math scores, on the other hand, declined. Oakley says while it’s worrisome, it’s not surprising. During the pandemic, and right after, she says middle and high school math was where students lost ground the fastest. 

“That makes some sense if you think about how hard it is to do algebra for the first time on a computer," she said. "Or if you're doing this without manipulatives, and that teacher right there by your shoulder to kind of fill in those gaps.”

On the reading side, Guilford County students in both grade levels improved slightly from 2022, but remain below pre-pandemic levels. In North Carolina and nationwide, average reading scores declined. 

Oakley says the district will work to continue providing regular tutoring for small groups and professional coaching for teachers.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.