Overview
- The Education Scorecard, released Wednesday, finds students are roughly half a grade behind pre‑pandemic levels in reading.
- Only five states plus Washington, D.C., posted meaningful reading gains between 2022 and 2025.
- Most states showed improvement in math over the same period, though many remain below 2019 marks.
- Recovery followed a U-shaped pattern by income level, with high-poverty gains tied to targeted federal relief while middle-poverty districts lagged.
- Local bright spots credit phonics-focused instruction, teacher training, and tighter supports in places such as Los Angeles, Compton, Modesto, and Detroit.