Kids' Test Scores Began Declining Long Before COVID: What's Behind the Trend? The long term decline in kids' test scores is a disturbing trend that predates the pandemic.
While the crisis of 2020 21 exacerbated existing educational disparities, it did not create them. The systemic issues driving this trend have been simmering beneath the surface for decades.
Understanding the Decline of Kids' Test Scores Before COVID The data on declining test scores is unequivocal: between 2010 and 2020, roughly 70% of American students failed to meet basic proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.