DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa ranks 10th in the nation in 8th grade reading. Math rankings show the need for improved mathematics instruction, with Iowa ranking 30th for 4th graders and 23rd for 8th graders.  The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress results released today by the U.S. Department of Education show encouraging gains with Iowa in the top 10 of all states for eighth grade reading scores, as Iowa continues to invest in proven practices grounded in an evidence-based approach known as the “Science of Reading.”

Mathematics scores for both fourth and eighth graders decreased by 3 points and 2 points, respectively, while Iowa’s math rankings fell significantly to 30th and 23rd in the nation. The significant drop in Iowa’s latest mathematics rankings is in part driven by other states rebounding from their lower 2022 scores while Iowa ensured consistent access to in-person instruction throughout the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. However, Iowa’s mathematics results underscore the need for statewide investment in evidence-based mathematics instruction.

Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said “As we continue to build upon Iowa’s comprehensive investments in evidence-based reading instruction, we celebrate the hard work of students, families, and educators that resulted in Iowa’s top 10 national ranking in eighth grade reading. At the same time, Iowa’s concerning mathematics rankings underscore the critical need to support evidence-based mathematics instruction statewide, as proposed by Governor Reynolds and the Department in the Math Counts Act. Iowa’s students with disabilities and students who are English learners also experienced some of the largest achievement gaps in the nation. Together with educators and families, Iowa will continue to invest in instruction and interventions that empower all students to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential.”

Commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is congressionally mandated to be administered every two years to students in grades 4 and 8 to measure achievement in reading and math. NAEP is the only nationally representative assessment allowing for comparison of student achievement across all 50 states using a robust sampling methodology. National average scores for public school students across all tested grades and content areas show the nation as a whole has not returned to pre-pandemic achievement levels. Nationally, mathematics scores fell by 3 points for fourth grade and 9 points for eighth grade. National reading scores in both fourth and eighth grade fell 5 points from 2019 scores.

Iowa’s NAEP data demonstrate significant achievement gaps between overall student results and those of certain student groups. Reading and mathematics rankings comparing the achievement of Iowa’s students with disabilities to students with disabilities across the nation show Iowa has some of the largest achievement gaps nationwide. While Iowa ranked 10th in eighth grade reading, Iowa ranked 46th in the achievement of students with disabilities. NAEP achievement is also used in the U.S. Department of Education’s designations for state special education systems under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Rankings comparing the achievement of students who are English learners to students who are English learners across the nation also demonstrate significant achievement gaps. While Iowa ranked 23rd in eighth grade math, Iowa ranked 37th in the nation in the achievement of students who are English learners.

NAEP is overseen and administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences. More information on the 2024 NAEP results is available on the Nation’s Report Card website at https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/

Update: Fire officials say the flames spread to the residence. Both structures are considered a total loss. The cause of the fire remained undetermined as of mid-day, today (Wednesday). Firefighters were still on the scene at mid-day, putting out hot-spots.

(Massena, Iowa) – Firefighters in Massena Fire were dispatched to a garage fire at 104 Mulberry Street in Massena, at around 8:17-a.m., today (Wednesday). Cumberland Fire crews respond about 15-minutes later to provide mutual aid in the form of manpower and tanker support. Additional firefighting personnel were requested a little before 9-a.m., and Alliant Energy was requested to cut power to the nearby house at around the same time. No injuries were reported.

Additional information is currently not available. (Photo courtesy Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon)

(Radio Iowa) – Two former Iowa governors are meeting for lunch today (Wednesday) to discuss the past and the future of the Des Moines-based World Food Prize. Democrat Tom Vilsack, who served two terms as Iowa’s governor, will become the organization’s C-E-O on March 1st. Republican Terry Branstad, elected to six terms as governor, has been president of the World Food Prize Foundation for the past two years. Branstad also served as U-S Ambassador to China and he says the foundation has made a good choice.

“I’m really excited about another former governor, somebody that understand agriculture,” Branstad said. Vilsack served 12 years as U-S Secretary of Agriculture during the Obama and Biden Administrations. Branstad served as U-S Ambassador to China during the Trump Administration and he says Vilsack’s international connections will be invaluable. Branstad says he and Vilsack have worked together on a number of projects and issues and he’s ready to pass the baton to Vilsack.

“He’s been a great supporter of the World Food Prize,” Branstad says, “and the thing I like about it from the very git go, we’ve had broadbased bipartisan support.” The Iowa legislature annually provides some funding for the World Food Prize, which hosts a symposium each October in Des Moines that draws dignitaries as well as reearchers and ag industry experts from around the globe. The World Food Prize is mainly supported, though, by donations by individuals, corporations and other foundations. Each year a World Food Prize laureate is recognized — and awarded a half a million dollar prize.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested, cited, then released from the scene of his citation, Tuesday afternoon. 40-year-old Jonathan David Graham, of Creston, was cited a little after 4-p.m., for allegedly allowing an Animal [to run] at Large in the 600 block of W. Adams Street. Graham was released on a Promise to Appear in court.

(Radio Iowa) – The unseasonably warm weather we’re having is likely going to put an end to the ice fishing season in most of Iowa. D-N-R spokesman Mick Klemesrud says it hasn’t been a great season up to this point either. “We had a lot of places, including on the Iowa Great Lakes, like on Big Spirit Lake, where we had open water. There’s a pocket of open water, it seemed like it would just never freeze over,” Klemesrud says. “And now that we’ve got these warmer temperatures and these high winds, it’s starting to chew up a lot of the existing ice and making some pretty tenuous situations up there.” He says continued days of above freezing temperatures make more and more ice disappear.

“Southern Iowa is going to be, the ice fishing season is probably going to be over by this weekend if the forecast holds. And in places like central Iowa, Big Creek Lake had an open pocket on it that didn’t freeze all winter and so that’s going to expand and chew up some ice and work Twin Lakes, same thing. Three mile and 12 Mile (Lake) had open water on them and it’s just kind of the same scenario,” he says. There are a few areas in north Iowa where the ice is still nice for fishing. “Clear Lake’s get good ice, there’s parts of Spirit Lake that have good ice, you just have to kind of avoid those open water areas,” Klemesrud says. He says you should do a little research on ice conditions before you head out.

“There’s a lot of good resources online. There’s a lot of good social media networks out there where people post how they did fishing, what they’re catching, where they’re going, that sort of thing,” he says. Klemesrud says remember the safety guidelines wherever you go to ice fish. “Check the ice often, don’t go alone, give yourself a big buffer around any open water. Bring a throwable flotation device and about 50 feet of rope, the worst case should happen,” Kelmesrud says.

Klemesrud says they had reports of nine Off Highway Vehicles or A-T-Vs breaking through the ice. Seven were at the Iowa Great Lakes and two were at Lake Rathbun. He says they were lucky there were no injuries reported.

(Radio Iowa) – A new report card on Iowa’s smoking policies gives the state an abysmal grade point average. In the five categories, Iowa earned one B, one D, and three Fs. Kristina Hamilton, director of advocacy at the American Lung Association in Iowa, says one of the state’s failing grades comes under the category of state cigarette taxes, which she says are far too low. “Iowa’s tax per pack of 20 cigarettes is $1.36,” Hamilton says. “We would like to see that significantly increased, definitely by $1.50 but at least by $1. We haven’t increased the cigarette taxes in Iowa in 18 years.”

The association also wants to see electronic cigarettes taxed at the same rate as other tobacco products. Hamilton says they plan to focus efforts on urging Iowa lawmakers to establish a tax on e-cigarettes during this legislative session, as she says those taxes would have a dual impact. “We know that individuals who are price sensitive, when prices go up on products like tobacco products, we do see consumption go down, but there also will be some increased revenue, because that tax will be on those products for those who still purchase them,” Hamilton says, “so it’s a win for public health, and it’s a win for income for the state.”

Iowa earned another F for the amount of money the state spends on smoking prevention and cessation programs. “We advocate for funds that come into the state from tobacco settlement dollars and taxes to go towards tobacco prevention,” Hamilton says. “Unfortunately, over $200 million in tobacco related revenue came to Iowa last year, and barely any of that went for tobacco control programs.”

American Lung Assn photo

Only about $4-million dollars out of that 200-million-plus went into state programs that help Iowa adults overcome tobacco addiction and to prevent youth from starting. The lion’s share, she says, went into the state’s general fund. Iowa’s third F came for not ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products, which includes flavored cigarettes, cigars and vape products. The 2025 State of Tobacco Control report gives Iowa a D in the category of coverage and access to services to quit tobacco, and a B for strength of smoke-free workplace laws. Iowa passed the Smoke-free Air Act in 2008, but it doesn’t extend to casinos, so Hamilton says the grade isn’t an A.

New figures show fewer Iowans are lighting up: “The smoking rate is 13.7% which is a little lower than last year,” she says. “I believe it was around 15% so we still have work to do.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police arrested a man in Red Oak this (Wednesday) morning, on Simple Misdemeanor – Domestic Assault/1st offense, and Interference with Official Acts – charges. Authorities say 31-year-old Zachery Michael Vaughan Cox, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 2:40-a.m. in the 100 block of E. Summit Street. Cox was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two women from Red Oak were arrested overnight Tuesday into early this (Wednesday) morning. According to Red Oak Police, 55-year-old Claudette Abraham and 45-year-old Holly Rider were taken into custody in the 200 block of E. Valley Street. Both were charged with one-count each of Harassment in the 3rd Degree, and Disorderly Conduct-Loud Noise. Both women were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

SIGOURNEY, Iowa — The Iowa State Patrol has named the teenager killed in a deadly crash southeastern late last week. According to the crash report, 16-year-old Kyle Burk, of Sigourney died after being hit on Highway 92 around 6:30-p.m. Friday (Jan. 24th). The Patrol say Burk was traveling west on 92, when the car he was in lost its wheel. When Burk left the car and ran across the highway to try to get the wheel, he was struck by another car also heading west on the highway.

In a post on social media, the Sigourney Community School District canceled school on Thursday for students and staff to attend his services. They are also selling T-shirts in his honor. All of the proceeds are going to the family to pay for expenses. Orders are open until Thursday.

As of January 28th, 16 people have died so far this year on Iowa roads. That number is sevn more than at the same point in 2024. Over the last five years, an average of 353 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.