An annual federal report card shows California student performance for reading and math has declined in three of four measured metrics over the past two years despite significant increases in public school spending.

The state’s one bright spot was in fourth grade math, in which students had nearly recovered to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. While state reading scores for eighth grade reading had recovered to 2019 levels in 2022, they declined below 2019 levels in 2024, reflecting the state’s ongoing education challenges.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed $24,746 in spending per student includes growth in Proposition 98 school funding to $119 billion, a figure that his office says is “a nearly 51% increase since the Governor took office” in January 2019.

The national report card from the federal National Assessment of Education Progress provides state level data, and data from a limited number of school districts. The annual report includes four metrics: fourth and eighth grade math and reading.

The report separates academic achievement into below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced, with basic reflecting only partial competence in grade-level material that students should have mastery over to be considered proficient.

California lags the national average in all four categories, but variations in outcomes within California remain stark. At the California district level, NAEP 2024 data includes only Los Angeles and San Diego school districts, which are among the largest school districts in the nation.

San Diego Unified outperformed the national average in all four categories, while Los Angeles Unified performed worse than the national, state, and big city average in all four categories.

In 2024, 65% of California fourth grade students were below proficient in math, and 72% below proficient in reading. 73% of California eighth grade students were below proficient in math, and 72% were below proficient in reading.

In 2023-2024 school year internal state testing, 47% of students met or exceeded basic state reading standards, while 35.5% met or exceeded basic state math standards.