WASHINGTON – Kids in the U.S. are improving in reading and math, and low-achieving students are making the biggest gains.
The 2008 scores come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal test considered the benchmark of how students perform across the country.
They were released Tuesday in a report that measures reading and math scores against long-term trends.
Results were particularly noticeable on reading. In 2008, kids in every age group — 9, 13 and 17 — made gains. That hasn't happened since 1975.
In math, scores improved for younger kids, but scores for 17-year-olds remained flat.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan says it's a step in the right direction, but there is more work to be done.
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