Pandemic-era school shutdowns caused decades of student learning loss, federal report shows

(The Center Square) – A new federal report shows that the nationwide shutdown of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic led to historic learning losses for students.

The Department of Education released data Thursday showing that national test scores declined the most in decades.

“Average scores for age 9 students in 2022 declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics compared to 2020,” the report said. “This is the largest average score decline in reading since 1990, and the first ever score decline in mathematics. This Highlights report compares performance on the NAEP long-term trend reading and mathematics assessments for age 9 students from the winter of 2020 to results of long-term trend assessments in the winter of 2022.”

The report shows that minority students were hit hardest.