National survey finds more students struggle with basic foundational skills.

For 50-plus years, students in grades 4, 8, and 12 have taken national standardized tests that assess reading and math proficiency and are designed to measure overall academic achievement. But long before those assessments begin, students acquire other foundational skills that shape how well they learn in school. Many of these—including motor skills, self-regulation, and social-emotional maturity—are rarely measured in formal assessments.

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Source: Education Week, March 13, 2026.