(The Center Square) – The majority of Texas students haven’t recovered from learning losses due to COVID-era lockdown policies and so-called virtual learning programs.
The average student achievement in Texas remains over half a grade level below 2019 levels in math and almost one third of a grade level below in reading, according to an analysis published by the Education Recovery Scorecard.
According to its analysis of Texas school districts, Texas ranked 31st among states in terms of recovery in math and eighth in reading between 2019 and 2024.
“Average student achievement in Texas remains over half a grade level below 2019 levels in math (.51 grade equivalents) and almost one third of a grade level below in reading (.31 grade equivalents). In other words, the loss in math achievement in Texas is equivalent to 51% of the progress students typically make annually between grades 4 through grade 8,” CEPR explains.
The analysis found 88% of students are enrolled in school districts whose average math achievement in 2024 remained below their own 2019 levels. Slightly less, 84% of students are enrolled in school districts whose average reading achievement remained below 2019 levels.
The scorecard is a collaboration between the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University. CEPR has reported on learning losses in reading and math and academic recovery measures in districts nationwide for three years.
The analysis is different than one published by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which addresses changes in average achievement by state, because it combines NAEP scores with district scores on state assessments to provide a more extensive description of the change in local communities statewide.
The report breaks down achievement by district in downloadable charts and maps.
In some school districts like Arlington and Aldine, the average student remains a full grade equivalent below their 2019 mean achievement in math.
In Klein and Conroe ISDs, students nearly recovered to 2019 levels in mean reading and math; Frisco ISD students surpassed their 2019 mean in reading and nearly recovered in math.
Nationally, no state improved its math and reading NAEP scores; more than 100 districts exceeded their scores pre-COVID-era lockdowns. Of the top 100 districts, states with the most recovered were Alabama (19), Louisiana (13), Texas (12), and California (11), according to a list of 100 recovered school districts.
Houston area districts ranked among the top in the state and nationwide, according to the list.
Spring Branch ISD in Houston ranks third best in the country for recovering in math and reading. Magnolia ISD, north of Houston, ranks 15th best nationwide; Angleton ISD, south of Houston, ranks 31st.
Other Texas districts in the top 100 were Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Southside ISD, Nederland ISD, Pine Tree ISD, Somerset ISD, Gilmer ISD, Raymondville ISD and Hillsboro ISD.
Chronic absenteeism was a primary factor in learning losses in Texas and nationwide. In Texas, 26% of students were reported for chronic absenteeism in 2022 and 21% in 2023 up from 11% in 2019, according to the report.
As of spring 2024, the average U.S. student nationwide remained nearly half a grade level behind pre-COVID-era lockdown policies in achievement in math and reading. Students today “are even further behind in reading than they were in 2022,” the report found.
Achievement gaps also widened nationwide due to COVID lockdown learning losses. High-income districts were nearly four times more likely to recover than low-income districts, the report found.
