Students in the nation’s large city public schools made significant gains in fourth-grade mathematics, with improvements nearly twice the national average from 2022 to 2024, according to the results of the recently released Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). A component of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card, TUDA assesses the performance of urban school districts across key subjects, providing a comprehensive view of student achievement in these areas.

The 2024 TUDA results reveal that all TUDA districts either improved or maintained their performance in fourth-grade mathematics compared to their states. Meanwhile, large city schools significantly improved between 2022 and 2024, rebounding nearly twice as fast as the national average.

Half of the 25 TUDA districts with scores in both 2022 and 2024 made significant increases in fourth-grade mathematics. Compared to the national increase of approximately two points, the District of Columbia Public Schools had the largest gain, with an increase of 10.4 points. They were followed by Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, N.C., with an 8.5 point increase, Baltimore City Public Schools with an 8.4 point increase, and New York City Public Schools with an 8.1 point increase. The School District of Philadelphia and Houston Independent School District also experienced strong gains, with increases of 7.3 and 7.2 points, respectively.

The majority of TUDA districts maintained steady performance in other grades and subjects tested from 2022 to 2024, including eighth-grade mathematics, fourth-grade reading, and eighth-grade reading, with changes in scores comparable to their states and national trends. Moreover, results in half of TUDA districts were no longer significantly different than those in 2019 in three out of four tested areas.

Atlanta Public Schools is the only large city school district to make significant progress in fourth-grade reading, with a 6.9-point increase from 2022 to 2024. This gain was substantially greater than the performance of public schools nationally which, saw significant declines, the state of Georgia, and large city school districts in reading scores..

In addition, students’ performance in four large school districts—Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia—was not significantly different than their 2019 pre-pandemic scores in all four grade and subject combinations tested. Across the 100 possible comparisons between TUDA and state performance changes between 2022 and 2024, 98% of TUDA districts showed score changes that were either on par with their states or significantly higher.

“For over two decades, TUDA districts have volunteered to take the NAEP assessment, and during that time, the gap between large city schools and their national public school peers has been reduced by 61% in fourth-grade reading, 65% in eighth-grade reading, 55% in eighth-grade mathematics, and nearly 40% in fourth-grade mathematics,” said Council Executive Director Ray Hart. “Federal funding and district interventions have played a pivotal role in mitigating the worst outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in fourth-grade mathematics, which has recovered significantly after sharp declines in 2022. This strategic focus on academic recovery has been essential to advancing overall student achievement.”

In 2020 and 2021, Congress approved funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants to help the nation’s schools reopen safely and address widespread unfinished learning among students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent U.S. Department of Education report highlighted how urban school districts successfully used this historic infusion of federal funding to address student needs.

Guilford County Schools used ESSER funding to assist more than 20% of its students in a high-dosage tutoring program for those behind grade-level proficiency. Denver Public Schools is investing $7 million to continue afterschool and summer programs initially supported by ESSER, including funding for mental health workers in those programs. As a result of extensive community engagement, Atlanta Public Schools expanded the elementary school day with earlier start and later ending times.

The latest NAEP and TUDA results show that, although the pandemic has ended, the nation’s public school districts and educators are still facing significant challenges. The need to support ongoing academic recovery, a persistent shortage of qualified teachers, and chronic absenteeism continue to disrupt learning continuity and academic development.

The setbacks from COVID-19 have been profound, affecting every sector, including education.

Recovery will take time, and much like rebuilding an economy, improving student outcomes will require sustained focus, strategic planning, and the ongoing commitment of financial and other resources.

“While much work remains to improve academic achievement, these results in urban schools reflect a strong return on investment, comparable to or surpassing the broader public education system,” said Hart. “Sustained federal and state investments are critical to maintaining evidence-based strategies that support student success. Because when we invest in children, our nation’s most precious resource, we ensure every student has the opportunity to become an innovative thinker, lifelong learner, and valuable contributor to society. Education is, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of a strong America.”

District Participants in TUDA

Twenty-six large urban school districts volunteered to participate in the 2024 urban NAEP. The districts are Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Chicago, Clark County (NV), Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, District of Columbia, Duval County (FL), Fort Worth, Guilford County (NC), Hillsborough County (FL), Houston, Jefferson County (KY), Los Angeles, Miami-Dade County, Milwaukee, Orange County (FL), New York City, Philadelphia, and San Diego.