Drops in state and national scores in English and math, released Oct. 24, are more proof the pandemic harmed students.
Overall dips in state and national scores showing how many students met grade-level standards in English language arts and mathematics, released Monday, Oct. 24, offered further proof that the coronavirus pandemic harmed student achievement.
The majority of states saw a decline in reading and math scores among fourth and eighth graders between 2019 and 2022, and no state saw improvements in mathematics, according to results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as The Nation’s Report Card.
Nationally, the average math score fell five points for fourth graders and eight points among eighth graders. Both grade levels saw a three-point drop in average reading scores. And math took a major hit.
“The results show the profound toll on student learning during the pandemic, as the size and scope of the declines are the largest ever in mathematics,” National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy G. Carr said in a statement. NCES is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.
“It’s clear we all need to come together – policymakers and community leaders at every level – as partners in helping our educators, children, and families succeed,” Carr added.
On the same day that The Nation’s Report Card was released, the California Department of Education released results from the Smarter Balanced assessments that students took last spring, which showed that students in grades 3-8 and 11 saw overall drops in reading and math proficiency based on the assessment.
Statewide, the percent of students meeting or exceeding standards on the Smarter Balanced assessment decreased by 4 percentage points (to 47%) in English language arts and by 7 percentage points (to 33%) in mathematics compared to three years ago, before the pandemic, according to the state.
But in a news release, California’s education department said recovery may already be underway, noting that students posted larger-than-normal gains in most grade levels between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, based on an analysis of students who were tested both years.
“These baseline data underscore what many of us know: that the road to recovery is long and our students will need sustained support over many years,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in the release.
He noted that the state has allocated more than $12 billion to help students recover from the pandemic, including funding for expanded learning opportunities and literacy coaches.
But his opponent in the Nov. 8 election for the state superintendent office criticized Thurmond’s leadership, saying that prolonged pandemic-related school closures have hurt students.
“Superintendent Tony Thurmond has failed students, parents, and teachers on every measure,” Lance Christensen, who is running against Thurmond, said in a statement. “These test scores indicate what we knew all along; school lockdowns have resulted in decades of learning loss, robbing students of their constitutional right of an education.”
Despite overall sobering results, some state and local education officials pointed to what they considered bright spots, or encouraging signs, in Monday’s data release.
