Declines in math, reading exceed US pandemic averages
Diana Dombrowski and Gary Stern – Rockland/Westchester Journal News USA TODAY NETWORK in the D&C on 3/15/23 on page A1
Test scores in math and reading for New York’s fourth graders declined by far more than national averages during the pandemic, said a report released Monday by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DiNapoli’s report stressed that for school districts to address pandemicinduced “learning loss,” they must properly allocate federal stimulus aid by the deadline of September 2024.
“This could be problematic if a significant portion of the pandemic relief funds to address learning loss is left unspent or is dedicated to programs with recurring expenses, or if significant progress in academic recovery has not occurred,” the report said.
Districts should adjust their plans to ensure the money goes to assisting students most in need, the report said, and the state Education Department should provide best practices on using the funds and track how the money is spent.