According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress report, Illinois ’eighth-graders outperformed the national average in both math and reading. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” is given every two years to a sample of America’s children. It is considered one of the best gauges of the academic progress of the U.S. school system. The most recent exam was administered in early 2024 in every state, testing fourth- and eighth-grade students on math and reading…