Student Experiences
Absenteeism
Improvement in school attendance compared to 2022
Students who took the long-term trend reading assessment were asked “How many days were you absent from school in the last month?” The percentage of 9-year-olds who indicated missing no days of school increased from 44 percent in 2022 to 48 percent in 2025 (a higher percentage suggests a lower rate of absenteeism). In 2004, the first year this question was asked, fifty-eight percent of 9-year-olds indicated having missed no days in the last month.
Table Trend in percentages of 9-year-old students in NAEP long-term trend reading, by number of days student absent from school in a month
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| None | |
| 1 or 2 days | |
| 3 or 4 days | |
| 5 to 10 days | |
| More than 10 days | |
Students missing no days of school scored highest
Nine-year-olds who reported missing no days of school in the previous month scored higher than their peers who reported missing at least 1 day. This relationship between absenteeism and performance in 2025 is not causal, but has been observed in previous long-term trend results.
Figure Average scores and percentages of 9-year-old students in NAEP long-term trend reading, by number of days student absent from school in a month: 2025
| Number of days student absent in a month | Percentage of students | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| None | ||
| 1 or 2 days | ||
| 3 or 4 days | ||
| 5 to 10 days | ||
| More than 10 days | ||
Reading For Fun
Percentages of students reading for fun not significantly different from 2022
Students who took the long-term trend reading assessment were asked “How often do you read for fun on your own time?” There was no significant change in the percentage of 9-year-olds who reported reading for fun almost every day in 2025 compared to 2022, but this percentage was 16 percentage points lower compared to 1984.
Table Trend in percentages of 9-year-old students in NAEP long-term trend reading, by how often they read for fun on their own time
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Almost every day | |
| Once or twice a week | |
| Once or twice a month | |
| A few times a year | |
| Never or hardly ever | |
Students who read for fun almost every day scored higher
Nine-year-olds who reported reading for fun almost daily scored higher than students who reported reading for fun a few times a year or never. This relationship between reading for fun and performance in 2025 is not causal, but has been observed in previous long-term trend results.
Figure Average scores and percentages of 9-year-old students in NAEP long-term trend reading, by how often they read for fun on their own time: 2025
| Frequency of reading for fun on own time | Percentage of students | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| Almost every day | ||
| Once or twice a week | ||
| Once or twice a month | ||
| A few times a year | ||
| Never or hardly ever | ||
Findings from students’ responses to the long-term trend reading survey at age 9 and age 13 are presented below. These findings do not imply a causal relationship to performance, but do provide important context for students’ learning experiences.