# Kids' Test Scores Began Declining Before COVID. These Schools Are Making Gains

Test scores in math and reading have been falling for years, not just since the pandemic shutdowns, according to data from the annual Education Scorecard. This finding reframes the national conversation about school performance and student recovery.

The scorecard reveals that achievement losses predate 2020 by several years. Schools across the country are still working to recover from steep declines in both subjects, but the trajectory shows the problem runs deeper than pandemic disruption alone. Some schools, however, are demonstrating that gains remain possible.

The data matters because it shifts accountability. Policy makers and educators often frame test score declines as primarily a pandemic consequence. Instead, this evidence points to systemic challenges that existed before classrooms closed. Schools faced struggles with curriculum implementation, teacher shortages, funding gaps, and inequality long before COVID-19 hit.

The Education Scorecard tracks performance across districts and identifies which schools have reversed downward trends. Schools making meaningful gains share common practices. They prioritize structured literacy instruction in elementary grades, allocate resources strategically to struggling students, and maintain consistent teaching staff. Some successful schools report intensive tutoring programs and extended school days or years.

The national picture remains concerning. Math performance has fallen further than reading in many districts. Recovery speeds vary dramatically by region and by school wealth. Districts with higher per-pupil spending show faster improvement trajectories than under-resourced schools, widening existing achievement gaps.

For parents and students, the scorecard provides a tool to understand local school performance and whether schools are moving forward or backward. For teachers, the data underscores that addressing test score declines requires sustained effort beyond pandemic recovery plans. The evidence that decline predates COVID means schools cannot simply wait for normalcy to return. They need concrete interventions now.