New NWEA Study Finds Uneven Academic Recovery: Only One in Three Schools Recovered in Math or Reading

Study of 5 million students finds wide differences in recovery patterns, with just one in seven schools recovered in both subjects

BOSTON, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NWEA, a K-12 assessment and research organization, today released a new research report examining academic recovery patterns post-COVID. The new study, titled "From Loss to Recovery: Diverging Paths and Uneven Gains Across Schools," used NWEA MAP Growth (a widely used assessment in U.S. schools) test scores from more than five million students across 9,326 U.S. public schools to identify where and how recovery is occurring.

Three key findings emerged:

• About 1 in 3 schools have recovered in either math or reading; only 1 in 7 schools have recovered in both subjects.
• While recovery was more common among schools with smaller initial declines, some schools rebounded after deep losses.
• Schools serving higher-poverty and historically marginalized students are less likely to be recovered, but they have made the largest gains since the pandemic.

"Recovered" in the study was defined as schools whose average achievement in fall 2024 matched or exceeded their fall 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels.

"Our findings show there was not a single path to recovery," said Dr. Emily Morton, Lead Research Scientist at NWEA. "While some schools recovered by avoiding initial declines, others rebounded with remarkable growth. These 'Rebounder' schools offer critical lessons about the practices and investments that can help students regain lost ground and continue moving forward."

Based on these findings, the new research report provides several recommendations for local education leaders and state policymakers in planning the next phases of post-pandemic support. These include:

• Tracking recovery trajectories at the state level by making recovery measures accessible and paired with information on schools' recovery paths.
• Aligning supports with schools' recovery trajectories so they continue to be targeted and aligned to the differing needs of schools, rather than uniformly applied across schools.
• Preparing for future crises, especially for schools that experienced larger pandemic-era declines. Now, before another crisis, policies that reduce instructional disruptions and protocols that support instructional continuity must be adopted.
• Prioritizing schools with the largest remaining gap so recent gains are sustained and progress toward recovery continues.
• Using realistic timelines and benchmarks for recovery that reflect schools' initial pandemic-era declines and account for recent growth, while using tools such as NWEA's MAP Growth Goal Explorer to monitor progress and set achievable goals.

Read the full report: https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/from-loss-to-recovery-diverging-paths-and-uneven-gains-across-schools/

About NWEA

NWEA^® (a division of HMH) is a mission-driven organization that supports students and educators in more than 146 countries through research, assessment solutions, and professional learning that support our diverse educational communities. Visit NWEA.org to learn more about how we're partnering with educators to help all kids learn.

Contact: Simona Beattie, Communications Director, [email protected] or 971.361.9526

SOURCE NWEA