An Uneven Rebound: Analyzing Results from the 2025 NAEP Long-Term Trends (LTT) Assessment

Written By SLU PRiME

By: Lucas Koch and Courtney Vahle, Ed.D.

Key Points:

  • 9-year-old students showed meaningful recovery in both reading and mathematics between 2022 and 2025, with the largest gains among students in the 10th percentile, Black students, and students eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

  • 13-year-old students continued to struggle, with mathematics scores declining or stagnating and reading scores remaining below pre-pandemic levels.

  • The gap between the highest and lowest performing 13-year-olds in mathematics continued to widen, with 10th percentile students losing ground while 90th percentile students saw modest gains.

  • The share of students who read for fun almost every day continued to decline, reaching historic lows for both age groups, which may have significant implications for long-term literacy outcomes.

  • Self-reported absenteeism improved nationally, with more students reporting zero missed school days in 2025 compared to prior years, which may help explain score recovery among 9-year-olds.

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Please Cite As: Koch, L., Vahle, C. (2026, July). An Uneven Post-Pandemic Rebound: Analyzing Results from the 2025 NAEP Long-Term Trends (LTT) Assessment. Policy Research in Missouri Education, 8(11). Saint Louis University. https://www.primecenter.org/policy-brief-database/naep-ltt

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