Test Scores Don't Lie:  Delaware's Literacy and Math Crisis Demands Urgent Reform

New test results confirm that Delaware students are still falling behind 

 

 

By Nancy Mercante

Founder and president, Citizens for Delaware Schools
Caesar Rodney Institute Contributor 

October 21, 2025

 

 

 

In recent decades, our school system has taken on responsibilities far beyond its original mission of teaching. Schools now provide medical and mental health services, promote social programs through diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and use "restorative justice" approaches to manage behavior. These added roles have expanded school bureaucracy, increased the number of administrators and left teachers with less time to focus on teaching.

 

What the Latest National Data Reveals

 

National test results confirm what educators already know: students are falling further behind. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - also known as the Nation's Report Card and administered by the U.S. Department of Education - provides the most consistent national measure of student performance and it shows sharp declines.

 

Only 35% of high school seniors scored proficient in reading - the lowest level since the test began in 1992, according to the 2024 Nation's Report Card. Scores for top-performing students held steady, while those for struggling students fell further, widening the gap. Tim Daly, CEO of EdNavigator and former president of The New Teacher Project, underscored the stakes in an Education Next commentary: "We have way more kids now who are functionally illiterate."

 

The NAEP reading framework explains that students performing below the "basic" level struggle with everyday literacy - following written directions, understanding news articles, or interpreting a speech. Today's high school seniors, who scored at record lows, were among the strongest readers when they were in fourth grade. The question is, what happened in between? 

 

One theory points to how learning progresses. Fourth-grade reading tests primarily focus on decoding skills and basic fluency, but by high school, students must demonstrate deep comprehension and understanding of the subject matter. NAEP also found that 45% of seniors reported a low level of interest in reading, and only 35% met the standard for being academically prepared for college.

 

Delaware Mirrors the National Crisis

 

This national decline is mirrored in Delaware's classrooms. The Delaware Department of Education's (DDOE) August 2025 report acknowledged "pockets of progress," but the overall literacy emergency remains.

 

Statewide, 41% of students in grades 3-8 met reading benchmarks and 34% met math standards. Only two districts - Appoquinimink and Cape Henlopen - surpassed 50% proficiency in English Language Arts. Among 11^th graders taking the SAT, 47% were proficient in reading and writing, while just 18% met math standards.

 

These numbers reveal a deeper inequity. English learners, low-income students and children with disabilities continue to fall far behind their peers. Despite years of DEI programs designed to close achievement gaps, the results show little measurable improvement. The very students these initiatives were created to help remain the most underserved. Until Delaware prioritizes evidence-based instruction over ineffective programs, the gap will continue to grow.

These disappointing results also reflect the growing strain on teachers, who are being asked to manage an ever-widening set of responsibilities beyond teaching itself.

 

Pressure on Teachers

Expansion of the school system beyond its core mission has not only strained budgets but also negatively impacted teachers' ability to teach. Teachers on the front lines feel this strain most acutely when it comes to student behavior, prompting many to leave the profession and causing a teacher shortage. 

A 2025 Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) summary of a national RAND survey found that while teacher morale has slightly improved, behavioral disruptions continue to undermine classroom instruction. Similarly, a 2024 DSEA survey revealed that despite restorative practices, behavioral disruptions still undermine teaching. Additionally, overcoming language barriers, special needs, and mental and behavioral issues has become all too difficult for teachers to address in the classroom, leaving proportionately less time dedicated to teaching.

 

Recommendations for Action

To reverse these trends, Delaware must refocus on what happens in the classroom. Policies that restore instructional time, improve teacher support and hold schools accountable for academic outcomes will produce the greatest impact.

 

1. Accelerate the Science of Reading Implementation:  Restoring phonics-based instruction is essential to rebuilding literacy. In 2022, the Delaware General Assembly passed House Bill 304, which requires statewide adoption of the Science of Reading. Yet full implementation is delayed until 2028. The Caesar Rodney Institute's analysis by Tanya Hettler, Ph.D., director of Center for Education Policy, raised concerns about this slow timeline. The DDOE should publish a detailed progress report to ensure accountability.

 

2. Enact a Statewide Classroom Cell-Phone Ban:  According to a 2025 Education Week report, 31 states have enacted laws restricting or banning cell phone use in K-12 classrooms. Delaware offers only incentives. Research shows that phone-free classrooms improve both teacher morale and student engagement.

 

3. Refocus Classroom Time on Teaching:  Language barriers, special-needs services and behavioral issues that pull teachers' attention away from instruction should be addressed outside the classroom whenever possible. Nonacademic initiatives, including DEI programs, should be evaluated based on whether they improve instruction rather than divert time and resources from it.

 

4. Expand Teacher Recruitment and Retention:  Delaware's teacher shortage remains in the hundreds. The DDOE is taking steps to improve hiring, but keeping top educators requires giving them the support and autonomy they need to thrive in their classrooms.

 

5. Strengthen School Board Oversight:  Set clear academic goals for superintendents, with full accountability and transparency. Include student achievement on every board agenda. Adopt a policy banning cell phone use in classrooms. Encourage greater parental participation in school board meetings.

 

Conclusion

 

Delaware's literacy and math crisis is both a state and a national tragedy - one that diminishes generations of children's potential, dignity and opportunity. Declaring a "literacy emergency" is a start, but Delaware's 12-year decline demands far more. The education system won't improve without decisive action. Lawmakers, education leaders and communities must act with urgency and unity to reverse this trajectory. With stronger reading instruction, restored classroom discipline and a renewed focus on teaching, Delaware can give every student a real chance to succeed.

 

# # #