Karen Burnett-Kurie: New Hampshire still ranks near the top in the nation on school performance

To The Daily Sun,

New Hampshire still ranks near the top in the nation on school performance measured through NAEP scores. And although the scores are lower they are rebounding since COVID which is not true of much of the rest of the country.

Our commissioner of education states: “New Hampshire students have managed, for the most part, to turn the corner and stop the slide ... since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Frank Edelblut said in a statement. “Students in the Granite State are outperforming students in many other New England states and showing greater achievements compared to the national average.”

New Hampshire eighth grade math students averaged a score of 280 points according to 2024 test results — above the national average of 272 points, but below the state’s peak of 295 points in 2013.

In reading eight grade readers averaged 264 points (seven points higher than the national average), but below the high scores in the 270s previously.

The fourth grade math test averaged 242 points, more than the national average of 237 points, but less than scores from 2013 at 250 points.

Fourth grade readers in 2024 averaged 221 points — higher than the national 214-point average, but below 2013 scores averaging 230 points.

“New Hampshire stands out because it is scoring above the national average in both grades and subjects, and higher than most other states,” the NAEP representative said in a statement. “And the Granite State’s NAEP results are also encouraging as it has not experienced the pervasive declines in reading that we’ve seen in the last two years ...” in other locations.

Karen Burnett-Kurie

Wolfeboro