A new NWEA analysis reveals that children who were infants during the COVID-19 pandemic are now experiencing learning disruptions in reading and math as early elementary students. While kindergarten achievement levels in these subjects remained largely steady during the pandemic, the effects appear to persist today. The study highlights how the global crisis impacted even the youngest children who were not yet in school.
Key Points
- Infants during COVID-19 now show learning gaps in reading and math in early elementary years.
- NWEA analysis indicates ongoing disruptions despite steady kindergarten achievement levels.
- The pandemic’s effects extended to children who were too young for school at the time.
Implications for Educational Freedom
This evidence of lasting learning disruptions from pandemic-era school closures highlights government overreach in education, strengthening the case for school choice, vouchers, and ESAs to empower parents with alternatives to public systems. It underscores the importance of parental rights in mitigating such harms and promoting educational freedom.
Source: Kids Who Were Babies During COVID Are Now Struggling With Reading and Math
