The politicized shutdowns of the pandemic have had real consequences. We should pray that our students are able to succeed.

From The Center Square. A new federal report shows that the nationwide shutdown of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic led to historic learning losses for students.

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The Department of Education released data Thursday showing that national test scores declined the most in decades.

“Average scores for age 9 students in 2022 declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics compared to 2020,” the report said. “This is the largest average score decline in reading since 1990, and the first ever score decline in mathematics. This Highlights report compares performance on the NAEP long-term trend reading and mathematics assessments for age 9 students from the winter of 2020 to results of long-term trend assessments in the winter of 2022….”

Many blamed the pandemic for the learning loss, but others argued the losses could have been avoided if schools had remained open.

“Utterly indefensible,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, after the data was released. “This is what Dem school shutdowns have done to our kids….”

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(Excerpt from The Center Square. Photo Credit: Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash)