Decline in U.S. Literacy Sparks Search for Solutions
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Decline in U.S. Literacy Sparks Search for Solutions
- In 2024, average reading scores for American high school seniors reached their lowest levels since 1992, with 32% scoring below the "basic" achievement level.
- Peter Schmidt, program director of the Strother School of Radical Attention, is involved in efforts to address declining literacy and attention spans.
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Recent data indicates a significant decline in reading proficiency among American students, with high school seniors’ reading scores in 2024 falling to their lowest levels in over two decades. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that 32% of 12th graders scored below the “basic” reading level in 2024, an increase from 20% in 1992. Additionally, approximately 40% of American fourth graders were underperforming in reading in 2025, scoring below the NAEP basic level. This downturn in reading skills is part of a longer trend that predates the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several factors are believed to contribute to this literacy crisis. Increased screen time, digital distractions, and a decrease in reading for pleasure are frequently cited. The average attention span has reportedly decreased significantly over the past two decades, impacting the ability to engage with longer texts. College students, for example, show a preference for short-form content and many struggle with complex texts, often skimming rather than engaging in deep reading. Some studies in 2022 indicated that over 61% of college students read fewer than 25 books that year, with roughly 20% reading no books at all.
Proposed solutions to address the literacy crisis include high-quality teacher preparation aligned with the “science of reading,” which emphasizes systematic phonics instruction and explicit text comprehension strategies. Encouraging reading from birth, promoting public libraries, and providing access to affordable books are also suggested. Peter Schmidt, program director of the Strother School of Radical Attention, is involved in initiatives that focus on cultivating attention in an age where digital platforms often divert it. His work, which began with “Attention Labs” in September 2022, aims to help individuals understand how their attention is commodified and to reclaim agency over it.