Proficient in Failure: A Grade-Level Analysis of Reading Trends in U.S. Public Education

The Center for Public Education Research and Accountability (CPERA) statistically analyzes more than 30 years of national public NAEP reading data, exposing stagnant performance, widening gaps, and statistically meaningful declines in literacy achievement. Our 58-page report examines proficiency benchmarks, scale scores, and percentile gaps across Grades 4, 8, and 12 for key student subgroups: Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indigenous, White, low-income, high-income, male, female, students with disabilitites, and the average student. The findings are alarming, disastrous, shameful, indicative of professional negligence, and a national dereliction of the promise of the American Dream.

Featuring over 45 graphs with trend lines and comprehensive data tables ready for direct use in presentations, Proficient in Failure provides the evidence needed to hold the public education system accountable and advocate for bold changes.