The COVID-19 pandemic spared no state or region as it caused historic learning setbacks for America鈥檚 children, erasing decades of academic progress and widening racial disparities, according to results of a national test that provide the sharpest look yet at the scale of the crisis.
Across the country, math scores saw their largest decreases ever in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Reading scores dropped to 1992 levels. Nearly four in 10 eighth-graders failed to grasp basic math concepts.
No state saw a notable improvement in average test scores, with some simply treading water at best.
Florida could boast some comparative postivies such as fourth-graders ranking third nationally in reading average scale score and fourth in math. In addition, Florida鈥檚 Hispanic students, black students, and students with disabilities scored in the top 10 in every category.
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The assessment 鈥� known as the 鈥渘ation鈥檚 report card鈥� 鈥� tested hundreds of thousands of fourth- and eighth-graders across the country this year.
It was the first time the test had been given since 2019, and it鈥檚 seen as the first nationally representative study of the pandemic鈥檚 impact on learning.
In local breakdowns, Los Angeles can claim one of the few bright spots. The nation鈥檚 second-largest school district saw eighth-grade reading scores increase by 9 points, the only significant uptick in any district.
For others, it was a feat just to hold even, as achieved by Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County, where average scores for fourth-grade reading and math showed "no significant difference" from the 2019 assessment, as did scores for eighth-grade reading.
鈥淚t is a serious wakeup call for us all,鈥� Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the Education Department, said in an interview. 鈥淚n NAEP, when we experience a 1- or 2-point decline, we鈥檙e talking about it as a significant impact on a student鈥檚 achievement. In math, we experienced an 8-point decline 鈥� historic for this assessment.鈥�
Researchers usually think of a 10-point gain or drop as equivalent to roughly a year of learning.
It鈥檚 no surprise that children are behind. The pandemic upended every facet of life and for months or more. The results released Monday reveal the depth of those setbacks, and the size of the challenge facing schools as they help students catch up.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said it鈥檚 a sign that schools need to redouble their efforts, using .
鈥淟et me be very clear: these results are not acceptable,鈥� Cardona said.
The NAEP test is typically given every two years. It was taken between January and March by a sample of students in every state, along with 26 of the nation鈥檚 largest school districts. Scores , but the new results show decreases on a scale not seen before.
In both math and reading, students scored lower than those tested in 2019. But while reading scores dipped, math scores plummeted by the largest margins in the history of the NAEP test, which began in 1969.
Math scores were worst among eighth graders, with 38% earning scores deemed 鈥渂elow basic鈥� 鈥� a cutoff that measures, for example, whether students can find the third angle of a triangle if they鈥檙e given the other two. That鈥檚 worse than 2019, when 31% of eighth graders scored below that level.
No part of the country was exempt. Every region saw test scores slide, and every state saw declines in at least one subject.
Several major districts saw test scores fall by more than 10 points. Cleveland saw the largest single drop, falling 16 points in fourth-grade reading, along with a 15-point decline in fourth-grade math. Baltimore and Tennessee鈥檚 Shelby County also saw precipitous declines.
鈥淭his is more confirmation that the pandemic hit us really hard,鈥� said Eric Gordon, chief executive for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. To help students recover, the school system has beefed up summer school and added after-school tutoring.
鈥淚鈥檓 not concerned that they can鈥檛 or won鈥檛 recover,鈥� Gordon said. 鈥淚鈥檓 concerned that the country won鈥檛 stay focused on getting kids caught up.鈥�
The results show a reversal of progress on math scores, which had made big gains since the 1990s. Reading, by contrast, had changed little in recent decades, so even this year鈥檚 relatively small decreases put the averages back to where they were in 1992.
Most concerning, however, are the gaps between students.
Confirming what many had feared, racial inequities appear to have widened during the pandemic. In fourth grade, Black and Hispanic students saw bigger decreases than white students, widening gaps that have persisted for decades.
Inequities were also reflected in a growing gap between higher and lower performing students. In math and reading, scores fell most sharply among the lowest performing students, creating a widening chasm between struggling students and the rest of their peers.
Surveys done as part of this year鈥檚 test illustrate the divide.
When schools shifted to remote learning, higher performing students were far more likely to have reliable access to quiet spaces, computers and help from their teachers, the survey found.
The results make clear that schools must address the 鈥渓ong-standing and systemic shortcomings of our education system,鈥� said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Los Angeles schools and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets the policies for the test.
鈥淲hile the pandemic was a blow to schools and communities, we cannot use it as an excuse,鈥� he said. 鈥淲别 have to stay committed to high standards and expectations and help every child succeed.鈥�
Other recent studies have found that students who spent longer periods learning online suffered greater setbacks. But the NAEP results show no clear connection. Areas that returned to the classroom quickly still saw significant declines, and cities 鈥� which were more likely to stay remote longer 鈥� actually saw milder decreases than suburban districts, according to the results.
Testing critics caution against putting too much stock in exams like NAEP, but there鈥檚 no doubt that the skills it aims to measure are critical. Students who take longer to master reading are more likely to drop out and end up in the criminal justice system, research has found. And eighth grade is seen as a pivotal time to develop skills for math, science and technology careers.
For Carr, the results raise new questions about what will happen to students who appear to be far behind in attaining those skills.
鈥淲别 globally for STEM careers, science and technology and engineering,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his puts all of that at risk. We have to do a reset. This is a very serious issue, and it鈥檚 not going to go away on its own.鈥�
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