Parents Are Beginning to Grasp the Reality of Grade Inflation, New Data Shows

For years, researchers and education pundits have tried to tell parents that their children are not performing as well as they might think in school. 

The message might finally be seeping in.

Since 2022, the percentage of parents who think their children are at or above grade level in math has dropped 9 percentage points to 83%, according to new data from Learning Heroes, a nonprofit focused on educating parents about their kids’ performance. In reading, it dropped 5 points to 88%. The percentages are similar to early 2021 when pandemic school closures left clear evidence that their children’s performance was suffering. 

In New York City, the percentage of parents reporting that their children were at or above grade level dropped 13 percentage points to 81% in math and 8 points to 87% in reading. It’s one location where Learning Heroes has worked with local leaders to help parents understand assessment data and seek help if their children have fallen behind. In Tarrant County, Texas, which includes Fort Worth, declines went from 92% to 84% in math and 96% to 84% in reading.