Press Releases

10/24/2022

NAEP 2022 Shows Impact of COVID-19 Disruptions on Student Learning in Connecticut and the Nation

(Hartford, CT) - Today, the National Center for Education Statistics announced results of the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the "Nation's Report Card." This is the first NAEP report providing state-level results since 2019, prior to disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report has multiple key findings that show the continued need for learning acceleration:

• In Grade 8 mathematics and reading and in Grade 4 reading, most student groups in Connecticut perform as well as or better than the average performance for national public schools.
• Connecticut’s Grade 8 students perform better than the average performance for national public schools in both reading and mathematics.
• The average scale score of Connecticut fourth graders in reading and mathematics is not different than the average for national public schools.
• The report shows declines in student performance in Grade 4 and Grade 8 reading and mathematics for Connecticut students and the nation.

 

NAEP 2019 to 2022 Change in Performance for Connecticut and National Public (NP)

 

*Value has been compared to the same result for 2022 and the difference is statistically significant (see explanation of statistical significance and why it is used in NAEP reporting).

 

Connecticut’s NAEP results track closely with our state assessment results i.e., Smarter Balanced; overall performance in 2022 has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Unlike NAEP, Smarter Balanced results are also available for 2020-21. Growth on Smarter Balanced assessments from 2020-21 to 2021-22 show that learning is accelerating in Grade 4 in both subjects as compared to growth in pre-pandemic years. 

 

In Grade 8 NAEP in both subjects and in Grade 4 Reading, most student groups in Connecticut perform as well as or better than the average performance for national public schools. In Grade 4 Math, Connecticut students who are Black, Hispanic, or English learners score lower than their peers nationally. The average scale scores for all major student groups are reported in the table below and an indication is provided to show whether the group is performing above (↑), below (↓), or not different than (=) their peers in national public schools. 

 

NAEP 2022 Student Group Results: Comparison of Connecticut to National Public (NP)

 

NSLP¹ - NSLP is the National School Lunch Program. Eligibility is used as a proxy for measuring poverty.

* An arrow is used when the difference between the scores is statistically significant (see explanation of statistical significance and why it is used in NAEP reporting).

Detailed NAEP results are available at https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/Performance/Performance-and-Accountability/Briefing-Slides_NAEP-2022.pdf.’ 

“Results from our state assessments and now NAEP amplify the continued sense of urgency to act comprehensively, with all our education partners, to address the academic and non-academic needs of our students, and to support the professional needs of our educators,” said Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker. 

Continued investment and collaboration is particularly important as Connecticut experiences a shift in its student population over the last decade (e.g., the percentage of English learners in Grade 4 increased from 5.7 in 2010-11 to 12.2 percent in 2021-22, while the percentage of students eligible for free- or reduced-price meals in Grade 8 increased from 33.8 to 41.8 percent during the same period). 

Therefore, to advance learning acceleration and equitable access to academic recovery, the CSDE is using its state and federal resources to invest in a range of projects: 

• Over $12 million of CSDE’s federal COVID relief funding was awarded to 200 summer enrichment programs delivering high-quality and accessible learning opportunities to children across the state in urban and rural communities for free or very low cost.  
• In partnership with the State Education Resource Center (SERC), the CSDE developed and released model curricula, providing free access to high-quality curricula and instructional resources along with aligned professional development opportunities. 
• The CSDE co-designed with the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) a Science of Reading (SOR) Masterclass using $4.5 Million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The masterclass is a statewide professional learning opportunity to develop local capacity for evidence-based reading aligned to the science of reading components of comprehensive K-3 literacy instruction including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  
• Through the Smarter Balanced assessment system, the CSDE provides all districts with over 200 short interim assessment blocks in ELA and math combined that can be integrated within a district’s curriculum to evaluate student learning and adjust instruction throughout the year; another 92 short interim assessments are available in science. These assessments are provided at no cost to districts. 
• The CSDE has launched the Connecticut Behavioral Health Pilot to ensure that every Connecticut school district has a coordinated and sustainable system of care for all K-12 schools to provide comprehensive behavioral and mental health supports and services to students and staff. Using the recent appropriation of $28 million dollars from the Connecticut General Assembly, the CSDE will be implementing grant programs that will support districts to add additional school mental health staff, including, but not limited to school social workers, school psychologists, trauma specialists, board certified behavior analysts, school counselors, and nurses. 
• The CSDE will also be continuing its investment in the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) that increases direct engagement and support to families and students through targeted home visits. 
• The CSDE is deploying more than $7 million to districts and schools to identify children and youth experiencing homelessness and provide academic, social-emotional, and mental and behavioral health supports to ensure that they can attend school and participate fully in school activities. 
• The CSDE is awarding more than $8.7 million in ARP ESSER funds to 45 after-school programs across Connecticut to open new program locations that are free or affordable and offer increased capacity at existing programs. 
• The CSDE is utilizing nearly $18 million of ARP ESSER funds and an additional $4 million of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds to support special education recovery activities, dyslexia tutoring, special education evaluations, assistive technology, a special education jobs portal, and home supports/partnerships. 

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For Immediate Release: October 24, 2022 

 

Eric E. Scoville 

Director of Communications 

Connecticut State Department of Education

Eric.Scoville@ct.gov

CSDE Media Inquiry Submission Form

 

 

 

 

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