Four years ago this month, the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close buildings all across the world. While every country, state and school district returned to in-person learning at different times, students everywhere experienced learning loss during the pandemic.
We are proud to share that Community Unit School District 200 has made significant learning recovery in the areas of math and reading based on the Educational Recovery Scorecard, which is a report on post pandemic academic recovery from 2022-2023 issued by The Center of Education Policy at Harvard University and The Education Opportunity Project at Stanford University. Based on the Educational Recovery Scorecard, when District 200 students returned to testing after the pandemic in 2022, there was no learning loss in math scores, and 2023 results improved as well. In reading, District 200 students made up more than a year’s worth of learning in 2022, compared to the state’s average of half a year of learning recovery. To view District 200’s report, please click on this link.
The Educational Recovery Scorecard was created based on a study using standardized test scores in math and reading from 8,000 districts in 30 states, Illinois being one of those states. Standardized scores for math and reading were the only subjects included in the report because there is data for third through eighth grades, whereas students take standardized science tests in fifth and eighth grades only. Between 2019-2022, students in the 30 states that were studied lost half of a grade level in math achievement, and a third of a grade level in reading achievement. Overall, this study shows that nationally, students have recovered one-quarter of the loss in math, and one-third of the loss in reading in a single year (2022-2023). To compare numbers from school districts across the nation, please click on this link.
At the state level, research shows that Illinois is one of three states that were studied whose achievement in reading now exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, between 2022 and 2023, it is estimated that students in Illinois made up roughly half of the original loss in math. To compare numbers from school districts across Illinois, please click on this link.
District 200 was able to prioritize learning acceleration efforts due to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants that were given to school districts across the nation to help schools operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, support students’ social-emotional needs, and academic recovery. From March 2020 through September 2024, District 200 received approximately $14 million through three rounds of the ESSER grants.
District 200 recognized early in the pandemic that virtual learning would impact student learning, especially for our most vulnerable students, including but not limited to, those with special needs, low-income, and multilingual learners. As a result, District 200 identified six priority areas it would allocate ESSER funds:
Full-time return to school for the 2021-2022 school year
Learning acceleration plans
Social emotional supports
Technology
Curriculum materials
Facility needs
While ESSER funds were allocated to those six priority areas, the additional funds to support learning acceleration and curriculum were a major factor in the success of our learning recovery in math and reading. The ESSER funds enabled District 200 to purchase high-quality instructional materials to enhance the reading and math curricula.
Additionally, these funds provided the opportunity to increase staff to support learning recovery. District 200 used grant funds to hire additional teachers at each elementary and middle school to support the implementation of new math instructional materials and provide interventions for identified students. We also prioritized increasing staff to support math because national research was showing this was the area impacted the most by the pandemic. Finally, District 200 focused on writing skills after the pandemic because this was an area that was difficult to teach virtually.
While ESSER funds gave District 200 the opportunity to purchase new instructional materials and increase staff at all levels, we credit our academic recovery success to the staff, students and parents who demonstrated resilience, perseverance, hard work and unwavering commitment to our learning acceleration efforts the last few years. We look forward to continued academic excellence as we work together to inspire, educate, challenge and support all students to reach their highest level of learning and personal development.
