NWEA research indicates that 1st and 2nd graders who were infants or toddlers during the pandemic are showing math and reading lags similar to those in older students. These patterns highlight ongoing academic impacts from the COVID-19 era. The study suggests early childhood disruptions may contribute to these elementary-level achievement gaps.
Key Points
- 1st and 2nd graders exhibit math and reading lags akin to older peers
- Lags linked to pandemic-era infancy and toddlerhood
- NWEA analysis shows consistent achievement patterns across age groups
Implications for Educational Freedom
This learning lag underscores government overreach in pandemic school closures, empowering arguments for school choice and ESAs to give parents alternatives to failing public systems. It highlights the need for parental rights in education to mitigate such long-term impacts from top-down policies.
Source: Pandemic-era infants, toddlers exhibiting elementary learning lag
