Maine students' scores on the "nation's report card" have fallen significantly over the past three years, as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted learning.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, is administered across the country every two years to assess students' progress in reading and mathematics, though the most recent round of testing was delayed a year because of the pandemic.
The latest results were released on Monday, and Maine students' scores dropped across grade levels and subjects. From 2019 to 2022, average scores for the state's fourth and eighth graders fell significantly in both reading and math. A higher percentage of students also performed below the "proficient" and "basic" achievement levels.
Large gaps were reported between Black and White students, and for children eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. Average scores for eighth graders are the lowest in at least two decades.
States across the country saw similar declines. Federal officials say the results are "unacceptable", and they show that children who were "already furthest from opportunity" before the pandemic need even more support now to make up the lost ground.
In a statement, the Maine Department of Education said that the NAEP assessment provides only a "limited and narrow snapshot" of student performance, and state assessments show that about 80% of Maine students "tested at or above their grade level" compared to national norms.
“The goal of the Department’s efforts moving forward will be to continue to promote immersive, hands-on, interdisciplinary learning experiences that reengage students and expand learning opportunities to help them recover from pandemic disruptions," said Marcus Mrowka, the DOE's director of communications. "In the coming year, we will continue to partner closely with parents, teachers, school staff, and communities to ensure that students are being given every opportunity to succeed in the future.”
