Pandemic recovery is uneven across Mass. school districts, per new study

A new study reveals stark disparities in pandemic recovery among Massachusetts school districts, with students in affluent areas nearly back to pre-2019 academic levels while low-income districts lag significantly. Researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth analyzed standardized test scores for third through eighth graders in over 5,000 districts across 38 states, converting results to a national scale for comparison. In Massachusetts, students in high-income districts like Needham and Wellesley—where only about 10% qualify for free or reduced-price lunches—have surpassed their 2019 reading and math scores. Conversely, districts such as Lynn, Everett, and Revere, where roughly 75% of students are low-income, remain more than a full grade level behind in both subjects. The state received $2.86 billion in federal pandemic relief funding, primarily directed toward high-poverty districts, which helped mitigate further decline. However, with funding now exhausted, experts warn that Massachusetts must prioritize support for struggling districts. Thomas Kane, a Harvard professor and study author, emphasized that the disparities reflect deeper systemic issues rather than pandemic effects alone. Massachusetts has long ranked at the top of national education assessments, but recent data shows declining reading scores. Before the pandemic, Massachusetts students outperformed the national average by a full grade level in reading; by 2025, that lead had shrunk to half a grade. Jennie Williamson of EdTrust Massachusetts noted that reading progress remains stagnant, attributing the issue to instructional policies rather than pandemic fallout. Unlike math, where many states saw gains between 2022 and 2025, only seven states and the District of Columbia improved reading scores, none of which included Massachusetts. The state legislature is considering a bill (S2924) that would mandate phonics-based reading instruction, a reform linked to progress in states that adopted similar measures. Williamson stressed that without targeted interventions, Massachusetts’ reputation as an education leader risks becoming uneven, benefiting only some students. The study underscores the urgent need for equitable policies to close the achievement gap.