After COVID-19, 8th Grade Math Scores Declined in 49 US States... Regardless of Region or Race

Analysis of US Department of Education's NAEP Results
No Significant Impact on Academic Achievement from Suspension and Resumption of In-Person Classes

According to the NAEP results first released last August, the average math score for 8th graders, equivalent to Korean middle school 2nd grade, was 274 out of 500 points. This is an 8-point decrease compared to 2019 (282 points), just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the decline in academic performance in the United States has appeared nationwide, regardless of students' backgrounds such as region and race.

On the 24th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) reported that the U.S. Department of Education additionally released an analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showing that math scores declined in 49 out of 50 states, except Utah. NAEP is a math and reading test conducted under the federal government’s supervision in 10,000 schools nationwide, targeting 8th and 4th graders.

According to the NAEP results first released in August, the average math score for 8th graders, equivalent to the second year of middle school in Korea, was 274 out of 500 points. This is an 8-point drop compared to 282 points in 2019, just before the COVID-19 outbreak. In particular, in 2019, 34% of 8th-grade students were evaluated as having proficient problem-solving skills in math, but this figure dropped to 26% this year. The average math score for 4th graders also declined in 41 out of 50 states.

The NAEP analysis showed that differences in the timing of suspension and resumption of in-person classes during the COVID-19 period by region did not have a significant impact on students’ academic decline. For example, Texas, which resumed in-person classes earlier than other states, experienced a decline in math scores similar to the national average. Meanwhile, California, which resumed in-person classes later than other states, had a smaller decline than the national average.

Los Angeles, considered the region that resumed in-person classes the latest in the U.S., showed an improvement in 8th graders’ reading skills. Along with this, academic decline was confirmed across all races, but the decline was steeper among Black and Hispanic students.

The New York Times reported that this is likely related to the fact that Black and Hispanic students are more likely to attend schools in low-income areas. In particular, schools in low-income areas generally resumed in-person classes later than other regional schools, making it difficult for students to keep up with the curriculum, the analysis suggested.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.