Florida Students Rank Last in Reading, Report Finds

A Stanford-Harvard study tracking grades 3–8 across 35 states has found that Florida students rank last in reading, part of a nationwide “learning recession” that has seen scores drop in 83% of school districts over the past decade.

Despite the findings, Broward and Miami-Dade school districts maintain state A-ratings. Broward Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn pointed to local data showing his district outranks more than half of US school districts in reading and math. Miami-Dade similarly said it has “consistently outperformed the state and comparable urban districts.”

Miami-Dade School Board member Dr. Steve Gallon acknowledged the report deserved serious attention. “We need to look at this as an opportunity to improve,” he said, emphasizing the importance of early childhood investment.

The report attributes the national decline to excessive smartphone use, social media, lingering pandemic effects, erosion of academic accountability after No Child Left Behind expired, and over-reliance on classroom technology. Hepburn said he envisions a balanced approach — neither abandoning technology nor over-relying on it — while continuing to evolve with societal demands.