Students lagging in classroom achievements compared to pre-pandemic levels

(KYMA, KECY/ NBC News) - New data suggests the pandemic may have widened the achievement gap in American classrooms.

An analysis of data from testing firm NWEA found that in a pool of 3.8 million 3rd to 8th graders, there was a larger spread in achievement levels this spring compared to the spring of 2019.

In reading, the spread of student achievement levels was 4% to 8% wider than before the pandemic.

The differences were even more pronounced in math, especially in grades three to five, where the range of student scores was 5% to 10% wider than three years ago.