ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

US Reading Scores Stagnant, Phonics Shows Promise

other · 2026-05-14

A new education scorecard reveals that reading scores in the United States remain near pandemic-era lows, with only five states and the District of Columbia showing improvement over three years. The limited gains are attributed to phonics-based instruction methods. The data underscores a slow recovery in literacy following COVID-19 disruptions.

Key facts

  • Reading scores in the US remain near pandemic lows.
  • Only five states and DC posted reading progress over three years.
  • Phonics-based instruction is credited for the gains.
  • The scorecard shows little ground recovered overall.
  • The data comes from a recent education scorecard.
  • The pandemic caused significant learning disruptions.
  • Literacy recovery has been uneven across states.
  • Phonics methods are highlighted as effective.

Entities

Locations

  • United States
  • District of Columbia

Sources