A new report by the nonprofit research organization, NWEA, has revealed that students’ academic progress, particularly in the fundamental areas of reading and mathematics, has suffered significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures.
Test scores for the previous school year have shown that expected improvements have been largely absent, with students in many instances demonstrating less proficiency than before the onset of the health crisis, according to The Hill.
Analyzing data from 6.7 million students from public schools in grades three to eight, the study found that most grades experienced a slow improvement in reading and math in comparison to pre-pandemic progress.
Surprisingly, third graders, who began their schooling journey in kindergarten during the first outbreak of the pandemic, were the only group to show above-average advancements.
“COVID-19 may no longer be an emergency, but we are very much still dealing with the fallout from the crisis. These data reiterate that recovery will not be linear, easy, or quick and we cannot take our foot off the gas pedal,” remarked Karyn Lewis, the co-author of the study and director of the Center for School and Student Progress at NWEA.
To overcome the learning losses, the NWEA suggests that an additional 4.5 months of math and 4.1 months of reading instruction would be required for students.
These results corroborate with the National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, which have also indicated significant learning losses in reading and math throughout the pandemic era.
These findings come in spite of two full years of regular classroom teaching and an influx of over $100 billion in federal funds, intended to address educational issues caused by COVID, such as academic recovery and mental health.
Lindsay Dworkin of NWEA stressed, “One year from the expiration of the federal education relief funds, which have supported so much of their vital efforts thus far, policymakers and leaders throughout the education ecosystem must renew their commitment to recovery. Our students deserve the sustained resources and urgency necessary to ensure they have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
