Survey: One-Third of K-12 Students Behind Grade Level

Nearly one-third of K-12 students across the country are behind their grade level as of the end of the 2023-24 school year, according to a new survey released by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The School Pulse Panel showed that 32% of students were behind, according to their June 2024 survey, 1 point below June 2022, according to the survey. NCES said 1,651 schools of nearly 4,000 nationally representative schools responded for the latest outlook.

The West region reported 39% of K-12 students were behind, compared to 31% for both the Northeast and Midwest and 29% of the South, according to the survey. The Northeast saw a 5-point increase over the two years while the South reported a 5-point drop. The West increased by 2 points, NCES said.

City students ticked down 1 point to 38% while rural students saw a 6-point decline to 26%, according to the survey. Suburban students saw a 2-point increase to 31%, according to the survey.

The School Pulse Panel is a monthly data collection of vital information in public education. SPP began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and served as a primary source of information regarding public schools' response to the pandemic.

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