New Zealand Study Finds Maths Gains but Persistent Reading-Comprehension Weakness

A new New Zealand Council for Educational Research report finds recent maths gains alongside continued reading-comprehension weakness. The study analysed just over three million Term 1 test records from 647,213 pupils in Years 4–8 at 1,306 schools during 2012–2026. Refreshed maths scores in 2026 averaged 1.64 scale points above 2024, while reading comprehension improved only slightly between 2025 and 2026 after an earlier decline. Substantial ethnic and socioeconomic gaps persisted. Researchers cautioned that the sample was not nationally representative, earlier and refreshed tests form separate series, and the findings cannot establish the effects of individual policies or teaching approaches.