Story perspectives

U-Shaped Recovery, Phonics Reforms Drive Reading Gains

5/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Education Scorecard shows a U-shaped post-pandemic recovery, with low- and high-income districts improving faster than middle-income districts, while federal relief helped the poorest districts improve attendance and scores.
Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth researchers released the Scorecard, confirming a learning recession since 2013 and math gains in most states.
Only Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and the District of Columbia recorded reading growth 2022-2025, attributed to phonics-based “science of reading” reforms.

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Story summary

The Education Scorecard shows a U-shaped post-pandemic recovery, with low- and high-income districts improving faster than middle-income districts, while federal relief helped the poorest districts improve attendance and scores.
Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth researchers released the Scorecard, confirming a learning recession since 2013 and math gains in most states.
Only Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and the District of Columbia recorded reading growth 2022-2025, attributed to phonics-based “science of reading” reforms.