School Closures Still Link to Learning Loss, Nearly 3 Years Into Pandemic

Tests measuring the academic performance of American schoolchildren consistently show dramatic declines in scores between the years directly before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the full scope of learning loss is not yet known, the data indicate that many children entered the 2021 school year with unprecedented education gaps that were likely exacerbated by widespread school shutdowns.

The National Association for Education Statistics tests a representative national sample of 9-year-olds on math and reading skills. From 2020 to 2022, according to a report published in September, reading and math scores declined by five and seven percentage points, respectively, reversing two decades of improvement in both areas. The drop was especially steep among students who already faced academic difficulties. While math scores fell only three points among students in the 90th percentile, they dropped a staggering 12 points within the 10th percentile.

In October, the National Assessment o