Welcome back. New NAEP results offer something rare in K-12 right now, a sign that the right interventions are reaching the students who need them most. The rest of this week's stories ask whether schools are set up to keep making those kinds of decisions well.
1️⃣ Lowest-Performing 9-Year-Olds Show First NAEP Gains in Decade
The latest NAEP Long-Term Trend results show the first score increases in over a decade among the nation's lowest-performing students, with 9-year-olds at the 10th percentile gaining 7.5 points in math and 9.3 points in reading. These gains at the bottom contrast sharply with much smaller increases for higher performers, reversing a long pattern where the steepest declines consistently hit struggling students hardest. The data suggests whatever interventions drove these improvements may offer a roadmap for addressing persistent achievement gaps.
2️⃣ Half of NY Teacher Prep Programs Fail Reading Standards
Half of New York's teacher preparation programs received failing grades for training educators in scientifically-based reading instruction, according to a new National Council on Teacher Quality report. Only six of 38 evaluated programs earned A grades for teaching all five core components of reading, while 19 failed entirely, including many in the CUNY and SUNY systems. The findings help explain why fourth-grade reading proficiency in New York has declined sharply, with 41 percent of students reading at the lowest level in 2024 compared to 30 percent in 2013.
3️⃣ Classroom Management Outranks Pay as Teacher Stress Source
Teachers report classroom management challenges as their top job stressor, surpassing even low pay, according to new RAND Corporation survey data. While stress remains high, only 18 percent of teachers plan to leave at the end of this school year, down 5 percentage points from 2022-23, and nearly one in four say they plan to stay as long as they can. The findings suggest retention may be stabilizing, giving districts some breathing room to focus on root causes rather than constantly recruiting replacements.
4️⃣ EdTech Purchasing Sidelines Teachers Despite $30 Billion Spending
American schools spent roughly $30 billion on educational technology in 2024, with projections showing that figure will nearly double by 2033, yet purchasing decisions typically originate from administrators rather than classroom teachers. School leaders routinely field constant vendor pitches and run pilots through procurement processes that feel rigorous, but these systems answer vendor-driven questions about solutions before asking teachers what problems actually need solving. Teachers closest to instruction could better identify whether classroom needs require technology platforms, schedule changes, or entirely different approaches if given authority to define the problem first rather than evaluate predetermined solutions.
5️⃣ Harvard Moves to Limit A Grades as Grade Inflation Concerns Grow
Harvard faculty approved limits on how many A grades professors can award, aiming to restore meaning to high academic achievement amid broader concerns about grade inflation. The move comes as ACT data shows high school grades rose between 2010 and 2022 while standardized test scores fell, highlighting a disconnect between classroom performance and measured learning. The grading overhaul reflects growing pressure on institutions to rebuild credibility around academic standards, a conversation K-12 leaders are navigating too as teachers report being pushed to lower expectations for underprepared students.
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