Are Young Students Getting Enough Academic Support?

| K-12 Dive | Kara Arundel

Dive Brief:

  • Younger elementary students are likely to need more reading and math support because they are either falling behind or consistently testing below historical trends, according to research released Monday by Curriculum Associates, a company that provides instructional materials and assessments.
  • Using longitudinal data from fall 2016 to spring 2019 and post-COVID-19 student data from fall 2021 to spring 2024, researchers found that younger students — those who were ages 3 and 4 during the pandemic — are the furthest behind.
  • Of the nation’s 3.5 million 2nd graders, the data shows that 1.3 million are behind in reading, and 1.7 million are behind in math. Curriculum Associates researchers said there is urgency in addressing these setbacks, as learning gaps may expand over time.

Read the full article at K-12 Dive.

A close-up photograph of a young woman with dark, curly hair and glasses, leaning in to assist a young boy with his schoolwork.

A teacher leads a one-on-one reading session focused on strategy and engagement.

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Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across the nation to reach ambitious goals for student success.

Yet the possibilities we imagine push far beyond the walls of school and the education field alone. We are catalyzing a movement across sectors to create multiple pathways for young people to achieve academic, economic, and social mobility.

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