Math scores for fourth-, eighth-grade students drop at record rates

Student math scores in New York and most other states fell at record rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting federal testing officials to conclude that the decline could potentially hinder the career plans of many young people.

State-by-state test results released Monday by those same federal authorities showed that fourth-grade math scores in New York dropped 10 points between 2019 and 2022 to an average of 227. Eighth-grade scores dropped six points, to an average 274.

Nationwide, fourth-grade results dropped five points to an average 235, while eighth-grade marks fell eight points to 273. Forty percent of students in both New York and the nation ranked below "basic" level in performance. 

By federal definition, basic is the lowest of three categories that also include proficient and advanced. Scoring is on a scale of zero to 500.

Scores on federally sponsored reading tests also fell in most states, though less dramatically. 

In New York, fourth-grade scores fell six points to an average 214, while eighth-grade scores remained level at 262, the same as in 2019. That was the lowest mark for New York since federal state-by-state testing began here in 1998. 

Nationwide, the fourth-grade average dipped three points to 216, while eighth-grade marks also dropped three points, to 259. 

In New York City, reductions in both math and reading scores were somewhat lower than for the state as a whole, and eighth-grade reading scores actually showed a slight gain. However, the city's overall score averages remained lower than the state's. 

Testing experts speculated that widespread school closures at the height of the pandemic most likely affected math instruction the most. Experts said that was because many students working remotely at home found it more difficult to complete assignments in math than in reading, without having a teacher nearby to help.

One federal education official, Daniel J. McGrath, warned that lagging math achievement could do long-term damage. 

"If left unaddressed, this could alter the trajectories and life opportunities of a whole cohort of young people, potentially reducing their abilities to pursue rewarding and productive careers in mathematics, science and technology," McGrath said in a statement. 

McGrath is acting associate commissioner for assessment at the National Center for Education Statistics, an informational branch of the U.S. Department of Education. 

COVID disruptions in focus

Testing results are from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, another federal agency that has measured trends in student achievement since 1969 at the national level, and in states since the 1990s. 

Representative samples of students in grades four and eight generally are tested every two years in both reading and math, though a pandemic-related slowdown pushed what would have been a 2021 assessment into 2022 instead. 

State results are for public schools only and are based on testing of more than 440,000 fourth- and eighth-graders nationwide between January and March of 2022. 

On Long Island, as elsewhere, educators attributed the latest slumps in test results largely to disruptions caused by pandemic, which included widespread and abrupt school closures and quarantines of students and teachers. On Long Island and across the state, classrooms began shutting down in March 2020, leaving tens of thousands of students working in remote home settings for more than a year.

At the height of the pandemic, students were required to wear masks and, in many cases, to work either at home, or in classes where they sat behind protective plexiglass shields. Teachers, meanwhile, were required to deliver lessons with the help of camcorders that relayed instruction to homebound students. 

Michael Cohen, a former Hofstra University math professor who continues to tutor students in that subject, recalled the distractions faced by many students assigned to "hybrid" schedules that divided their time between schools and home settings. 

"You've got six kids sitting in front of you encased in plastic," Cohen recalled. "You've got six other kids at home, maybe not even paying attention to you. It was so hard." 

The benefit of 'real classrooms'

Federal authorities provided the latest test scores to Newsday and other media with the stipulation that results not be discussed with local or state school organizations, except state education departments, until publication. Newsday contacted New York State's Education Department seeking comment but did not receive a response. 

Scott Marion, an education consultant who has worked with New York and other states, acknowledged in a phone interview that this state got hit "pretty hard" in terms of math scores. He added that it was to be expected, given the amount of time students spent working at home. 

"School matters," Marion said. "Teachers interacting with kids in real classrooms makes a difference."

Marion is president of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, a nonprofit agency headquartered in Dover, New Hampshire. He also serves on NAEP's governing board. 

To help schools cope with the pandemic's impact, the federal government has provided billions of dollars in relief aid nationwide, including more than $500 million in Nassau and Suffolk counties alone. The idea is to pay for speedy remedies, such as intensive tutoring to help struggling students catch up. 

In addition, the state has boosted this region's education aid by more than $870 million, with another large increase tentatively scheduled for the 2023-24 school year. The funding is meant to pay for longer-term support, especially in poorer districts that were underfunded in the past. 

The latest state-by-state report cards echo findings of a national report issued by federal analysts on Sept. 1. That review found the biggest decline in reading scores among 9-year-olds in 30 years, and the only decline in math since federal testing in that subject began in 1973.

Over the longer range, there was still some progress, however. For example, average math scores for 9-year-olds, while declining between 2020 and 2022, remained 15 points higher than in 1978. Reading scores remained seven points higher than in 1971.

By John Hildebrand

john.hildebrand@newsday.com@johnhnewsday

John Hildebrand is Newsday's senior education writer and has covered school news and policy issues affecting Long Island for more than 40 years.