A new study by the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that only 1 in 10 students nationwide attends a school district that has returned to pre-pandemic achievement levels in reading and math. The study, titled The State of the American Student report, cites poor attendance rates, low test scores, and a lack of consistent state-level instruction policies as evidence of the struggles faced by students.
The report highlights the pandemic’s measurable impact on student learning, with projected lifetime earnings dropping by nearly 9% in states hardest hit by learning loss, compared to a 2% decline in less affected states. For instance, Mississippi eighth graders are approximately two and a half years ahead of their West Virginia peers in nationally adjusted test scores.
State-Level Policies
Only 13 states have clear, specific goals for student learning that are easily accessible by parents and teachers, according to the report. 11 states have published no statewide goals for student learning at all, while 14 states have only a vague vision for student success. Louisiana is the only state where both math and reading scores have exceeded their 2019 levels.
Research principal Chelsea Waite noted that a clear goal is the first piece of a strategy, and without it, there is no way to tell whether everything a state is doing is adding up to something coherent. She also stated that it makes it harder for anyone to hold the state to that goal or to its strategy.
Drawing on data from sources like Harvard and Stanford’s Education Scorecard, the report notes that while 43 states have adopted science of reading laws and 18 have math instruction laws, few have strengthened the infrastructure or accountability needed to implement these effectively.
Partisan Differences
The study found partisan differences in policy approaches, with Republican-leaning states adopting more detailed and aggressively enforced policies. The National Council on Teacher Quality reports that only 12 states have strong policies for teaching the science of reading, eight of which lean Republican.
Red states are also moving faster in math, with 13 of the 18 states with math laws being red. However, Democrat-led states appeared to shine in limited areas, such as allowing mental health days as an excused absence from school. The report notes that both parties are falling short of what’s needed, and that states need to move forward with proven strategies.
Co-author Waite said that if states are committed to improving student performance in math and literacy, they should work toward four key goals: improving instruction in both subjects, linking K-12 education to career pathways, and setting guidance and policies around AI.
The report found that New York and South Dakota are taking little visible policy action to improve student outcomes. The group noted that now is not the time for states to slouch, especially with the Trump administration dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, making state leadership even more important. CRPE director Robin Lake said that states are making different bets, many along party lines, and with little shared effort as to what is working.
The organization worries that diverging state strategies, driven more by partisanship than sound evidence, will make inequality worse. Lake said that in order to improve the state of the student nationally, states are going to have to begin to reconverge on what works. The report notes that the nation will have a host of new governors and other elected officials after the November election, who can advocate for what kids need most, including strong, coherent, evidence-driven academic strategies.
State-by-State Variations
The variation in state policies and outcomes is striking, with some states excelling in certain areas while falling short in others. For example, the report states “Utah has some of the most thoughtful state guidance on AI in the country, but no math law.” Similarly, Washington is a leader in career navigation policy, but its reading and math reforms are thin. States like Tennessee and Maryland are leading across multiple areas, but still have work to do in math, especially.
