Months of school required to catch up to pre-COVID achievement levels in the United States, 2023
NWEA
04 Dec 2023
During the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures caused significant learning disruptions, prompting the need for additional schooling for students to reach pre-COVID levels. US students require an additional 4.1 months in reading and 4.5 months in math to catch up, with the most notable impact observed in middle school, where 8th graders need an extra 9.1 months in math. Marginalized students face wider learning gaps, with Black and Hispanic students needing 6.2 and 6.4 extra months respectively, compared to 4.3 and 5.3 months for Asian and White peers. Ineffective infrastructure and planning for online learning environments, coupled with limited professional development on integrating technology into teaching, resulted in suboptimal learning experiences for many students.ย To address this learning gap, schools are introducing accelerated learning, providing targeted support for grade-level material, and double-dosing, where students attend both remedial and grade-level classes simultaneously. Additionally, schools are expanding afterschool programs and summer school for extra learning time, while tutoring offers personalized one-on-one instruction to help students narrow the learning gap and return to their academic trajectory.
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