Every state ranked by its math and reading test scores, from worst to best

Massachusetts ranked No. 1 in all score categories: fourth-grade reading, fourth-grade math, eighth-grade reading, and eighth-grade math. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment data is released every two years. Known as The Nation's Report Card, it shows how fourth- and eighth-grade students performed in reading and math. Business Insider ranked the US states based on their performance across the four assessments. At a time when education is under scrutiny because of concerns over AI , a perceived literacy crisis, and learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic, test scores can provide a snapshot of student performance. But that performance can vary widely across state lines. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a federal program that the National Assessment Governing Board called "the gold standard assessment" for gauging students' knowledge in the US.