New study shows U.S. students still struggling with reading recovery |
A new national study has found that U.S. students remain in a deep reading recession, with most states showing little improvement in reading achievement since the pandemic, although some California school districts, including Los Angeles Unified, Compton, and Modesto, have emerged as notable bright spots. Researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth analyzed test scores across more than 5,000 school districts and found that reading performance has continued a long-term decline that began years before COVID-19. Nationally, students remain nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic reading levels, while math recovery has been stronger in most states. Researchers said states that embraced phonics-focused instruction, including Louisiana, Tennessee, and Maryland, generally saw the strongest reading improvements, though results varied. Experts also pointed to factors such as reduced recreational reading, increased smartphone and social media use, and weaker accountability systems as contributors to the ongoing decline in literacy skills.
