Young kids missed pandemic's school disruptions, but reading scores still lag

First and second graders continue to perform worse than their pre-pandemic counterparts on math and reading tests, according to a new report.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Even though many young students were infants or not yet born when the COVID-19 pandemic began, researchers are finding that their academic performance, especially in reading, has still not fully recovered. The report from NWEA shows that first and second graders are still scoring lower on math and reading tests compared to pre-pandemic levels, with reading scores remaining stagnant. Experts say the reasons are complex and likely involve both instructional disruptions as well as broader societal shifts that impacted early childhood development.

Why it matters

The pandemic's effects on older students' academic achievement are well-documented, but this new data provides insights into how the youngest learners have also been impacted, even though many were not yet in school when the disruptions began. Understanding the depth of the academic slump in these early grades is crucial for developing targeted interventions to help students catch up.

The details

The NWEA report, based on assessments given to students in the 2024-25 school year, found that while math scores for first and second graders have slowly improved, reading scores have remained stagnant since spring 2021. Experts say the reasons are complex and may involve factors like fewer parents reading to young children during the pandemic, as well as missed opportunities for early childhood development activities outside the home. Some districts are focusing more on phonics instruction and regular literacy assessments to help students who are behind, but broader societal shifts may also be at play.

  • The NWEA report is based on assessments given to students in the 2024-25 school year.
  • Reading scores have remained roughly the same since the spring of 2021, when the first full school year in the pandemic was wrapping up.

The players

NWEA

An education assessment and research group that published the report on young students' academic performance.

Megan Kuhfeld

A researcher at NWEA who said 'there's something kind of systemic here happening … within schools and outside of schools' in regards to the youngest students' failure to recover academically.

Minnetonka Public Schools

A school district outside Minneapolis that says reading scores dipped during the pandemic but have since recovered, with a focus on phonics instruction and regular literacy assessments.

Amy LaDue

The associate superintendent of Minnetonka Public Schools, who believes young children missing out on activities like going to museums and playing with peers during the pandemic has hampered their language and literacy development, especially for low-income families.

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What they’re saying

“We can't pinpoint one specific cause.”

— Megan Kuhfeld, Researcher, NWEA

“These kids weren't in school when the pandemic happened, but (some) were … in early childhood and preschool. Their opportunities … to have those experiences outside of their home that build literacy skills and to apply them with peers probably were impacted because they were home.”

— Amy LaDue, Associate Superintendent, Minnetonka Public Schools

What’s next

Some states and cities are investing in pre-kindergarten programs to help young children with early literacy development, including California's introduction of universal pre-kindergarten and New York City's expansion of pre-K to 2-year-olds.

The takeaway

The pandemic's impact on the youngest students' academic performance, particularly in reading, highlights the need for targeted interventions and a broader understanding of how societal shifts beyond just classroom disruptions can affect early childhood learning and development.