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Young Students Rebound in Math and Reading
10 Jun
Summary
- Nine-year-olds regained lost math and reading skills after pandemic.
- Older students' scores remain below 2012 peak levels.
- Lowest-performing students also showed score improvements.
Recent national assessment data indicates that 9-year-old students in the U.S. have recovered some of the academic ground lost due to the pandemic, showing growth in both math and reading since 2022. Reading scores for this age group are now statistically similar to pre-pandemic 2020 levels.
Conversely, the performance of 13-year-old students has not improved, with their scores remaining well below their 2012 achievements. This trend for older students mirrors other recent assessments that have highlighted a widespread "reading recession" and declining academic performance nationally.
Encouragingly, the Long-Term Trend assessment revealed that even the lowest-performing 9-year-olds, those scoring at the 10th percentile, demonstrated score improvements. This suggests that academic recovery is possible across different student achievement levels.
Experts noted that while 9-year-olds show progress, the stagnation among 13-year-olds necessitates urgent focus and policy changes to address the critical middle school years. The reasons for long-term score declines are debated, with theories ranging from policy changes to increased screen time affecting reading habits.
