BALTIMORE -- Baltimore City students are performing below average in math and reading compared to other students in large cities, according to the latest national test results.

The 2024 Nation's Report Card shows city students made little progress in mathematics and even less in reading proficiency between 2022 and 2024.

Congress requires that the test be given to a sample of students across the nation every two years. This year's test comes four years after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools across the U.S., causing continued impacts in education.

In 2024, the average math score of 209 for fourth graders in city schools was higher than the average of 201 in 2022 but lower than the average score of 222 in 2009, the report showed.

For eighth graders, the average math score of 245 was the same as in 2022 and lower than the average of 257 in 2009.

The national test also revealed score gaps between student groups in 2024. For example, Black students in eighth grade had an average math score that was 39 points lower than the score for White students.

Among fourth graders, students who were identified as being economically disadvantaged had an average score that was 15 points lower than those who were not economically disadvantaged, the test results showed. The performance gap was similar in 2009.

Fourth and eighth-grade Baltimore City students scored below average in reading. Only 13% of fourth-grade students performed at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress's (NAEP) proficient level in 2024, while 16% of eighth-graders performed at or above the level, according to the test results.

Again, there were some score gaps among student groups in reading proficiency. Among fourth graders, students who were identified as economically disadvantaged had an average score that was 24 points lower than those who were not disadvantaged.

Among eighth graders, male students in the city scored 11 points lower than their female peers. Economically disadvantaged students also scored 11 points lower than their counterparts.

Maryland reading and math scores

Nationally, the test results show that children are continuing to fall back on reading skills and made little improvement in math, according to CBS News.

Fourth and eighth graders across the state scored lower in mathematics than the national average, though fourth graders saw improvement over the past two years, scoring 234 in 2024, up from 229 in 2022, the report showed.

However, gaps between student groups remained as Black students in both fourth and eighth grades scored 32 points lower in math than White students. Fourth-grade Hispanic students scored 29 points lower than White students, and eighth-grade Hispanic students scored 31 points lower.