New York: State test results show "significant drop in reading scores" grades 3 to 8

Aug 7, 2026, NY1: N.Y. data shows drop in reading scores for grades 3 to 8

New state test data shows a significant drop in reading scores for children in grades three through eight, with a decline of six percentage points.

The data comes after last year’s reading proficiency scores saw a seven-point increase.

The education department called the year-to-year fluctuation “unprecedented” and said there would be a deeper analysis of the results. Students statewide saw a similar decline.

The drop was especially sharp for third-graders, according to the data. The number scoring proficient or higher on the exams fell by nearly fourteen percentage points.

The city’s public schools launched a new approach to reading called NYC Reads in 2023, with a heavier focus on phonics — and last year pointed to test score gains as proof it was working.

According to officials, assessments given directly by the city this year show continued progress in reading.

Math scores were flat compared to last year on the state exams, according to the data. Families can expect to receive their child’s individual score on Monday.