09/05/2026
Texas’ education debate is getting louder: the state is strong in fourth-grade math, but struggling badly in reading.
In the 2024 NAEP results, Texas ranked 37th in fourth-grade reading, 44th in eighth-grade reading, 8th in fourth-grade math, and 34th in eighth-grade math. That uneven picture is now fueling a bigger argument about where the state has gone over the last three decades.
Ann Richards, who took office in 1991, was Texas’ last Democratic governor. Supporters often point to gains in reading and math during the early 1990s, and some claim Texas ranked 7th in education during her era. That claim depends heavily on which ranking system is being used, so direct comparisons across decades need caution.
What is clearer is that Texas reading performance has become a major concern. Recent reporting says only three states scored lower than Texas in 2024 when looking at fourth- and eighth-grade reading scores. In eighth-grade math, 44% of Texas students scored below NAEP Basic in 2024.
The debate goes beyond classrooms. The same discussion points to Texas’ 16.6% uninsured rate, nearly 5 million uninsured residents, a poverty rate above the national average, teacher pay below national peers, and infrastructure grades that include low marks for drinking water, wastewater, dams, broadband, levees, transit, parks, and roads.
Texas has grown massively, economically and culturally, since the 1990s. But the question being argued now is whether that growth has translated into better everyday outcomes for students and families.
What do you think is the biggest factor behind Texas’ education rankings today?
Sources: Christina Lorey, Courier Texas
