Story perspectives

One-Third of U.S. Schools Achieve Pre-Pandemic Academic Levels

2/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) finds about one-third of U.S. K-12 schools have returned to pre-pandemic achievement in math and reading, with 14 percent fully recovered.
The analysis draws on scores from over 5 million students across 9,326 schools.
Schools serving historically marginalized students show notable recovery gains versus those with predominantly white or Asian populations.
State assessments for 2026 have been updated to include questions that better reflect current learning.

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Story summary

Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) finds about one-third of U.S. K-12 schools have returned to pre-pandemic achievement in math and reading, with 14 percent fully recovered.
The analysis draws on scores from over 5 million students across 9,326 schools.
Schools serving historically marginalized students show notable recovery gains versus those with predominantly white or Asian populations.
State assessments for 2026 have been updated to include questions that better reflect current learning.