A new report reveals American students are still half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement levels in math and reading, with no state showing improvement in both subjects from 2019 to 2024. High-income districts are four times more likely to have recovered than low-income ones.
The Education Recovery Scorecard, combining data from the Nation’s Report Card and state tests, found only 17% of students in grades 3-8 are in districts exceeding 2019 math levels, while just 6% have recovered in both subjects. Over 100 districts outperformed pre-pandemic levels in both areas.
Chronic absenteeism, which worsened during the pandemic, has slowed academic recovery, especially in high-poverty areas. While rates peaked at 29% in 2022, they have since declined to 26% in 2023 and slightly further in 2024.
With federal pandemic relief funds gone, researchers urge states and local leaders to invest in long-term solutions. “The rescue phase is over,” said Tom Kane of Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research.
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