A report from National Center for Educational Statisticss (NCES) revealed that the math and reading performance of 13-year-olds in the United States has reached its lowest level in decades.
The report highlights the challenge for students to return to normality after distance learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was carried out on 8,700 adolescents from all over the country from October to December 2022.
“Mean scores for 13-year-olds decreased 4 points in reading and 9 points in mathematics compared to the previous assessment administered during the 2019–20 school year,” the report reads.
For their part, specialists consider that although technology is an important tool for education, it can also be the biggest distractor.
“Having an iPad or a computer implies that they must have self-control and have academic goals,” explained the educator, Aida Luna. “The use of a mobile device must have an estimated time. Maybe an hour or an hour and a half.”
The report also reveals that the percentage of students who have missed school five days or more in a month has increased.
“The percentage of students who reported missing 5 or more days doubled from 5% in 2020 to 10% in 2023,” says the research.
The NCES plans to survey schools once a month on catch-up strategies. Click here to view the report.
