New Data Shows That Just as Many Students Are Behind Grade Level as Last Year

New federal data collected on the academic setbacks incurred by public school students since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic shows that virtually as many students began the current school year behind in at least one grade subject as did last year – the latest research to bolster concerns over the severity of academic declines and the ongoing challenges to rebounding.

“Many students were behind grade level at the start of the current academic year, including in core academic subjects like English and mathematics,” says Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, the data arm of the Education Department.

“Both this school year and last school year, public school leaders estimated that about half of their students began the school year behind grade level in at least one academic subject. These data suggest that academic recovery will take time.”