Student achievement in reading and math among America’s fourth and eighth graders is still below pre-pandemic performance levels, according to a new assessment of the nation’s schools.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which tests fourth- and eighth-grade students in math and reading every two years, the nation’s young people scored, on average, five points lower in reading than those who were tested before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
Both grades also scored lower in math, with fourth graders averaging 3 points and eighth graders 8 points below pre-pandemic levels.
Officials acknowledge the pandemic’s impact but note that students are reading less for enjoyment and missing more school, explaining a drop in academic scores.
