Pandemic's Impact Lingers for Young Students' Reading Scores

First and second graders continue to lag behind pre-pandemic reading levels, though math scores are slowly recovering.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A new report from NWEA shows that first and second graders are still performing worse on reading tests compared to their pre-pandemic counterparts, even though many were not yet in school when COVID-19 disruptions began. While math scores have gradually improved, reading scores have remained stagnant since 2021. Researchers believe broader societal shifts, such as fewer parents reading to young children, may be contributing to the ongoing academic slump in the youngest students.

Why it matters

The pandemic's effects on older students' academic achievement are well-documented, but this new data provides insights into how the disruptions have impacted the earliest learners, who were infants or not yet born when COVID-19 hit. Understanding the depth of the academic setbacks for these young students is crucial for developing targeted interventions and support to help them recover.

The details

The NWEA report, based on assessments given in the 2024-25 school year, found that while kindergarten math and science scores remained roughly the same throughout the pandemic, first and second graders are still trailing pre-pandemic levels in both math and reading. Math scores are slowly improving, but reading scores have flatlined since spring 2021. Researchers point to emerging data showing fewer parents are reading to young children, which is a key activity for developing literacy skills. School districts like Minnetonka Public Schools are focusing more on phonics instruction and regular literacy assessments to help students who are behind catch up, but factors outside of school, like fewer enrichment opportunities during the pandemic, may also be hindering progress.

  • 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 the pandemic's impact on young students' academic performance.

Megan Kuhfeld

A researcher at NWEA who says "there's something kind of systemic here happening ... within schools and outside of schools" that is contributing to the ongoing reading score slump.

Minnetonka Public Schools

A school district outside Minneapolis that has seen reading scores dip during the pandemic but then recover, thanks to 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 enrichment activities outside the home during the pandemic is a factor hampering literacy development, especially for low-income students.

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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

Researchers and educators will continue to monitor the academic progress of young students who were impacted by the pandemic, with a focus on developing targeted interventions and support to help them recover lost ground in reading.

The takeaway

The pandemic's disruptions have had a lasting impact on the earliest learners, underscoring the need for robust early childhood education programs and community-wide efforts to support young children's literacy development, both in and out of the classroom.