Decoding a Decade of Decline in Student Performance Across the U.S.
Recent revelations indicate that the decline in math and reading skills among U.S. students during the pandemic is not an isolated incident but rather a continuation of a decade-long educational downturn. This is according to the latest Education Scorecard, an annual analysis by Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity Project and Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research.
Now in its fourth year, the Scorecard provides critical insights for families, educators, and policymakers seeking to understand and address ongoing challenges in public education.
The report highlights several key findings: a rebound in math scores in many states, aided by federal relief funds, particularly in lower-income districts; and a mixed yet improving performance in reading, attributable to legislative changes in teaching methods.
It is important to note that the Scorecard utilizes data from most states’ own tests, differing from the Nation’s Report Card. Some states, such as Illinois and New York, were excluded due to recent test changes or high opt-out rates.
The Persistent ‘Learning Recession’
Between 1990 and 2013, U.S. students made significant strides in math, as highlighted by the Scorecard. Sean Reardon of Stanford University, one of the authors, notes, “the average fourth grader in 2013 could perform the same math skills as the average sixth grader could in 1990.” Despite less dramatic gains in reading, improvements were still notable.
These advancements have been described by Harvard’s Thomas Kane as “one of the most important social policy successes of the last half-century that nobody knows about.” However, he emphasizes the need to redirect efforts to regain this trajectory. The report suggests that the educational decline, particularly in reading, began several years before the pandemic.
Reardon comments, “In fact, you wouldn’t really know there was a pandemic effect if you just looked at the last 10 or 12 years of test scores. There’s been just a steady kind of decline regardless of the pandemic.”
Exploring Possible Causes
Researchers propose two potential factors contributing to this downturn:
1. The decline of test-based accountability: The dismantling of the No Child Left Behind law around 2013, which enforced strict consequences for underperforming schools, may have led to diminished focus on student achievement.
2. Increased social media use: The surge in teenagers’ engagement with social media since 2013 may have negatively impacted lower-achieving students, as indicated by Pew Research and other international studies.
Signs of Recovery and Remaining Challenges
The Scorecard outlines a gradual recovery in math performance post-pandemic, with most states making strides, especially Washington D.C. However, reading remains a challenge, with only a few states showing improvement.
Louisiana is the sole state to have returned to 2019 performance levels in both subjects, yet no state has reached 2013 levels. Reardon remains optimistic, stating, “when you look at the period from the ’90s through 2013, we made enormous gains. We just haven’t been doing it for the last decade. But we could do it again.”
The U-Shaped Recovery and the Science of Reading
A distinctive U-shaped recovery pattern emerges, with both the highest and lowest poverty schools showing similar progress in math and reading. Federal COVID relief funds played a crucial role in assisting high-poverty districts, according to Kane.
Additionally, the adoption of the science of reading approach is linked to reading improvements in several states. Baltimore City Public Schools exemplify this success, having embraced these methods early.
Under CEO Sonja Brookins Santelises, Baltimore shifted its literacy strategy to focus on phonics. She recalls, “I’ve been ferocious about it ever since.”
Innovative Teaching Methods in Action
Baltimore’s educational reforms have resulted in significant reading gains, especially during the pandemic. Veteran teacher Kimberly Lowery’s classroom exemplifies these changes, where engaging phonics-based games facilitate learning.
Lowery encourages her students to celebrate their achievements, asking, “You guys are super-duper what?” to which they enthusiastically respond, “Smart!”
