DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A national education assessment report shows Iowa students have had some gains in math and reading since 2011, but stagnation over the long term remains a challenge. The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress covers math and reading for fourth- and eighth grade students. There is a flat long-term trend in reading for both grades, but a small growth in math.

State Education Department Director Brad Buck said in a news release that there are some bright spots in the results, but they largely underscore a need to keep pushing education priorities. The NAEP, advertised as the nation’s report card, has been administered in Iowa since 1990. It is given to a sampling of students using the same sets of test booklets across the country.