An empty classroom at Gridley Middle School in Tucson. November 2020.
The National Center for Education Statistics has released National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP (NAPE) scores for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The data show Arizona students are at, or close to, the falling national average in math and reading.
NAEP samples students from each state in 4th and 8th grades for math and reading proficiency and growth.
National statistics have taken a sharp slide during the pandemic, especially in math. Arizona held steady in reading scores when comparing spring 2019 to spring of this year but mirrored the national decline in math over the same period.
The pandemic hit Arizona harder than most. The state was 15th in reported COVID-19 cases per capita and 2nd in deaths. And the pandemic aggravated an already troubling lack of qualified teachers.
Regionally, Arizona students performed slightly better than neighboring California and Nevada - and led New Mexico by at least 10 points in both categories
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