Pandemic-era learning loss recovering in Miami, but not for all students

U.S. students have made up for some pandemic-era learning losses in math and reading — but the recovery has been slow and uneven, especially among students of color, per a recent report .

Why it matters: The pandemic exposed deep racial and income inequalities in the nation's public school system, and the uneven recovery is showing few of those inequities have been adequately addressed.

By the numbers: The typical U.S. student has recovered about a third of pandemic-era learning losses in math and a quarter in reading, according to a 30-state analysis by Stanford, Harvard, and Dartmouth .

Yes, but: An analysis of that report and other data by Arizona State's Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) found that the students who were already furthest behind have fallen even further behind.

• Tightening fiscal realities, educator fatigue and student disengagement are threatening many efforts to make up for learning loss, the report said.

State of play: In Florida, 53% of students earned a passing score of Level 3 or greater on English Language Arts annual assessments for the 2023-24 school year, while 55% did in math, according to the state education department .

• But when accounting for factors such as whether students are considered economically disadvantaged or race, the outcomes varied.
• Last year, 64% of white students earned a Level 3 and above in the ELA, compared to 49% of Hispanic students and 40% of Black students. Similar discrepancies appeared in math.

Zoom in: While students in Miami-Dade performed better than the state average, test outcomes mirrored statewide gaps and national trends.

• 74% of white students earned a Level 3 and above last year, compared to 57% of Hispanic students and 46% of Black students, according to the state. Math showed similar gaps.
• Large gaps among English Language Learners also persist: Just 15% of ELL learners earned a passing ELA score last school year, while 34% did on math exams.

Between the lines: Following the pandemic, student absenteeism skyrocketed, achievement gaps grew, graduation rates fluctuated and English learner proficiency suffered.

• School closures also exposed systemic inequalities in school technology access , teacher shortages and transportation.

The intrigue: Scores increased from 2022-23 to last year, data shows, mirroring national trends that showed improvements.

What we're watching: CRPE researchers urged states and school leaders to immediately prioritize students with disabilities and English learners.

• They recommended prioritizing accountability and said school districts should use AI and other technologies creatively amid an ongoing teacher shortage.