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Compton, California — For sixth grader Harmoni Knight, mathematics has been a challenging subject, but her outlook is beginning to shift.
The introduction of in-class tutoring and “data chats” at her middle school has significantly improved her math skills, Harmoni expressed during a tutoring session last week, showcasing a performance tracker filled with perfect scores of 100% on her weekly quizzes from January.

Since the onset of the pandemic, schools across the United States have strategically allocated federal and local relief funding toward educational interventions designed to help students recover from academic setbacks caused by COVID-19.
However, a recent examination of state and national test results indicates that, on average, students remain academically behind, specifically half a grade level lower than pre-pandemic performance in both mathematics and reading.
The analysis reveals a worrying trend in reading, with students lagging further behind compared to their standings in 2022.

Compton stands out as an exception, exhibiting substantial gains over the past two years in both subjects, particularly among high-poverty districts.
Other districts also show promising developments, providing evidence that interventions like tutoring and summer programs are yielding positive results.
An analysis conducted by researchers from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth called the Education Recovery Scorecard provides comprehensive insights into the academic performance of American students since the pandemic began disrupting their education.

The latest findings, derived from tests administered in spring 2024, reflect a period when the most severe impacts of the pandemic had subsided; however, schools were still grappling with challenges such as mental health crises and high rates of absenteeism among students whose education had been significantly interrupted.
According to Tom Kane, a Harvard economist involved in the scorecard analysis, “The losses are not just due to what happened during the 2020 to 2021 school year, but the aftershocks that have hit schools in the years since.”

The analysis indicates that even school districts showcasing encouraging state test results might still be facing challenges.
This uncertainty arises from the fact that states utilize varying assessments, complicating comparability.
For example, as noted in the analysis, states like Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Florida appear to have eased their proficiency standards in reading and math recently.

The Scorecard addresses these discrepancies by introducing a unified national standard to evaluate student performance.
Notably, higher-income districts have made more significant progress compared to their lower-income counterparts.
The top 10% of affluent districts are four times more likely to have recovered academically in both math and reading than the poorest 10%.
Additionally, disparities persist in recovery rates among different racial and socio-economic groups, particularly in math results, leading to increased achievement gaps based on race and income.

According to Sean Reardon, a Stanford sociologist who contributed to the scorecard, “The pandemic has not only driven test scores down, but that decline masks a pernicious inequality that has grown during the pandemic.”
He pointed out that districts with higher populations of Black and Hispanic students have fallen further behind, emphasizing an alarming trend of widening gaps within those districts.

In Compton, the district has taken proactive measures to address these challenges by hiring over 250 specialized tutors for subjects such as math and reading and providing support for English language learners.
In certain classes, multiple tutors assist the teacher, and various tutoring options have been implemented, including sessions before, during, and after school, along with Saturday School and summer programs for the district’s 17,000 students, as stated by Superintendent Darin Brawley.

Furthermore, the district has implemented dyslexia screenings in all elementary schools.
Compton’s student population is predominantly low-income, with 84% being Latino and 14% Black.
The district has improved its graduation rate to 93%, a significant increase from 58% when Brawley assumed his role in 2012.

Harmoni credited the tutoring initiatives for enhancing her math confidence and understanding.
The “data chats” with her math specialist serve as a combination of performance review and motivational conversation.
“Looking at my data, it kind of disappoints me when the numbers are low,” Harmoni admitted, “but it makes me realize I can do better in the future, and also now.”

Though Brawley takes pride in the recent test scores, he remains realistic about the challenges ahead.
“Truth be told, I wasn’t happy. Even though we gained, and we celebrate the gains, at the end of the day we all know that we can do better,” he stated.

As federal pandemic-relief funds come to an end, maintaining these successful initiatives could become more difficult.
Many schools relied on these funds to sustain programs, and going forward, it’s vital for them to focus on effective interventions.
According to Kane and Reardon, districts that invested federal relief on enhanced instructional time, whether through tutoring or summer school, were able to see positive returns.

Looking ahead, Brawley hopes to sustain Compton’s tutoring programs through alternative funding sources, but he questions the scale at which this can be achieved.
Meanwhile, across the nation, reading levels continue to falter in spite of efforts in numerous states to improve phonics instruction and promote the science of reading.
Reardon and Kane advocate for a review of these mixed results to determine the most effective strategies for teaching reading.

Community engagement is also crucial; the experts indicate schools should keep parents informed about their children’s academic progress.
Enhancing student attendance remains a priority, as identified by the scorecard, which linked high absenteeism rates with learning difficulties.

In the District of Columbia, an intensive tutoring initiative has not only supported students academically but has also had a positive impact on attendance, according to D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee.
The D.C. area performed impressively, showing the highest gains in both math and reading from 2022 to 2024, following a period of more considerable setbacks.
This success has been bolstered by funding from pandemic-relief initiatives, which targeted support for students in greatest need, along with designated program managers who optimized tutoring time within the school day.

Ferebee noted that students who participated in tutoring demonstrated increased school engagement, attributing this to heightened confidence and stability through relationships with trusted adults.
“I’m more confident in math because I’m being validated by another adult,” a student shared.
“That validation goes a long way, not only with attendance but also with a student feeling like they are ready to learn and are capable.”

Although federal pandemic relief has concluded, the D.C. city government provided an additional $7 million in December to ensure the continuation of tutoring programs.
Christina Grant, who was the District of Columbia’s education superintendent until 2024, expressed optimism about uncovering what factors contribute to enhancing student achievement.
“We cannot afford to not have hope. These are our students. They did not cause the pandemic,” she remarked.
“The growing concern is ensuring that we can … see ourselves to the other side.”

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