Fourth- and eighth-grade students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools led the nation on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading and Mathematics Assessments, the first such assessment since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DoDEA was the only state or jurisdiction to see an increase in any area of the assessment. Its students’ average scores were 15 to 23 points higher than corresponding national scores, according to a DOD news release.

“DoDEA leaders focused on equity of access and continuity of instruction during the early stages of the pandemic with a rapid transition to remote learning, then worked to create conditions that enabled students to start returning to classrooms by the beginning of school year 20-21,” said Gilbert Cisneros, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. “Their work, coupled with strong partnership from military commands and parents, directly supported military readiness by allowing service members with students in DoDEA schools to remain focused on their military missions.”

Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Erick Reyes