Superintendent reports mixed NAEP 2024 results, urges focus on reading supports and targeted K–12 literacy interventions

Superintendent Dixon told the State Board of Education that Utah’s 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results keep the state among the top five nationally in multiple reading and math measures, but the scores also show widening gaps for underperforming students and a drop in eighth-grade reading. The superintendent urged the board to "double down on effective reading support and interventions for our students."

Dixon said the state saw a mix of small gains and declines compared with 2022: slight gains in fourth-grade math, a decline in fourth-grade reading, flat eighth-grade math performance and a notable drop in eighth-grade reading. She cautioned that students who underperformed are trending downward and that the state has not achieved the accelerated recovery many educators hoped for after pandemic-era learning disruptions.

The superintendent and staff identified several contributing factors discussed in the meeting: lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cohorts that missed instruction, a rise in chronic absenteeism (from about 14% in 2019 to about 24% of students absent 10 days or more in recent data), increasing time spent on social media instead of reading, and uneven allocation of federal ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds across districts. Dixon noted that the national average ESSER allocation was about $3,700 per student and said Utah received substantially less per pupil than some states that used funds for high-dose tutoring and extensive summer programs.

The presentation also highlighted state efforts to strengthen instruction. Dixon described a capacity-building initiative to "coach the coaches" that has provided coursework, a community of practice and personalized support for instructional coaches. "We have over 850 educators who have participated in these cohorts to get an instructional coaching endorsement," she said. The program was noted by the professional group Learning Forward and involved collaboration with university partners.

Deputy Superintendent of Operations Scott Jones, who described visiting schools to see programs on the ground, said those visits confirmed that investments in teacher training and coaching are yielding measurable progress in some districts. "This does not an endorsement of a particular program or anything like that. It's just, an assurance... from a fiscal standpoint... we are achieving great things," Jones said, adding that the results reflect teacher dedication and local implementation.

Board members raised equity and transparency questions during the discussion. Member Real said minority and low-income students are not improving at the rate the state needs: "We see that our minority students and our low income students are not performing or excelling at at any rate that we'd like to see." Member Boggess asked whether the board had an audit or spreadsheet showing how funds were spent statewide; Superintendent Dixon said the board maintains ESSER reporting and related grants-management data on a public website and that she would send relevant details to the full board by email. Member Lier asked about pre‑K participation in states that improved; Dixon said she did not have the participation rate on hand and offered to find out.

The superintendent praised Wasatch School District as an example of a system that has surpassed its 2019 reading and math levels, and she emphasized building systemwide literacy capacity by training administrators, coaches and teachers together. Staff said early K–3 investments show some positive movement in Acadience and other formative measures, but stressed the need to extend supports into upper elementary and middle grades to address gaps that emerge later.

No formal board action or vote was taken; the items were presented as an informational report and followed by member questions and requests for data.