New Reports Show Wider Achievement Gaps After Pandemic

by Sandy Flores-Ruiz, age 16
Reports showing achievement gaps widened after students moved from in-person instruction to online learning are no surprise. Virtual instruction caused learning loss in thousands of school districts across the nation.
The switch from in-person instruction to online learning produced negative results in student achievement. Several factors—including the disruption of school schedules, remote learning, social isolation, and health or family-related stress—have contributed to a reduction in math and reading test scores. Researchers report that low test scores are an unsettling prediction for the future.
Research released in January by The Brookings Institution shows the academic achievement gap widening. Brookings used math and reading test scores from the previous two years. They examined data from 5.4 million U.S. students in third through eighth grade. Among those 5.4 million students, math and reading scores were lower than in previous years. [Read More]