Most Montana Eight-Year-Olds Not Proficient at Reading, Study Says

The recently released National Association of Education Progress report for 2013 used standardized test results to show that most American eight-year-olds (66 percent) were not proficient at reading. The numbers, as collated by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, show that Montana children fare little better.

"We are right on par with the national average," said Montana Kids Count Data Center Director Thale Dillon. "65 percent of our children are reading below proficiency when they enter fourth grade. If you break that down by income class: low income children--78 percent are reading below proficiency, whereas children in higher income classes--only 54 percent are reading below proficiency."

Although the national average score has improved by six points over the past ten years. Montana has seen no change in reading test results since 2003.