Students at Department of Defense schools are leading in fourth and eighth grade math and reading scores, according to a national assessment.

“I am delighted that DoDEA has once again performed exceptionally well on the National Assessment of Educational Progress,” Department of Defense Education Activity director Beth Schiavino-Narvaez said. “Credit for this success belongs to our incredible teachers, administrators and staff of DoDEA, and most importantly to our students and their families, for all their hard work and dedication.”

In 2024, military school students averaged between 14 to 25 points higher than the national average and remained stable even “while national average scores mostly decreased,” according to a Department of Defense Education Activity news release from Jan. 29.

Across the world, the Department of Defense Education Activity operated 160 schools and educated about 67,000 students in 2024, according to a Congressional Research Service defense primer updated in June 2024.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is nationally representative and assesses students’ mastery of several subjects within a group. Results are reported at three levels, including basic, proficient and advanced. 

Just over half of eighth grade students at DoD schools achieved proficient or advanced on their reading scores, nearly double the amount of public-school students, according to the 2024 results.

Results were similar for students’ math scores. Over half of fourth grade math students at DoD schools scored proficient or advanced compared to 39% of public-school students.

Schools within the department are “relentless” as they educate military children, Schiavino-Narvaez said. “Our relentless pursuit of continuous improvement has empowered our mission to deliver excellence in education to every student, every day, everywhere,” she said.