Del. bottom 4 state in recovery from pandemic learning loss

Delaware recovered from learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic at one of the worst rates in the entire country.

A new report from the Education Recovery Scorecard, compiled by researchers from Harvard and Stanford universities, sheds light on how students in Delaware and across the nation are faring in their recovery from the learning disruptions caused by the pandemic.

While some districts have made progress, many continue to face significant hurdles, including chronic absenteeism and other challenges that hinder recovery efforts. 

The scorecard provides detailed, interactive data on both state and national recovery efforts, along with specific findings for each state, including Delaware.

For the First State, the results are concerning, experts say.

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“The latest Education Recovery Scorecard confirms what we’ve been warning for years—Delaware’s students are still struggling to recover, and our current education system is failing to meet the challenge,” said Britney Mumford, executive director of DelawareKidsCan. 

Recovery by the numbers

The state ranks near the bottom of the nation in terms of recovery from pandemic-era learning losses, placing 49th in math recovery and 47th in reading recovery between 2019 and 2024. 

Not a single district has returned to 2019 achievement levels in math or reading.

“Despite receiving $637 million in federal relief, students remain more than four-fifths of a grade level behind, and chronic absenteeism has surged, making recovery even harder,” Mumford said. “Yet, our legislature continues to make excuses and ignore the urgency of this crisis. The time for delays is over.”

Mumford said the state needs a weighted student funding formula, targeted academic interventions, and urgent action to address absenteeism. 

On average, Delaware students remain over four-fifths of a grade level behind in both subjects. 

Some districts, including Smyrna, Caesar Rodney, and Indian River, are more than a full grade level behind in their recovery.

Attempts Tuesday to reach those three districts for comment were left unanswered.

“Delaware’s students, families, and educators have worked hard to recover from pandemic learning losses, but the latest data make clear that there is still a long road ahead,” said Julia Keleher, executive director of First State Educate. “With Delaware ranking 49th in math and 47th in reading recovery, and no district returning to 2019 achievement levels, we must come together to accelerate progress.”

Strong school board leadership is essential to driving recovery, Keleher said. 

“Districts that adopt policies supporting evidence-based interventions see better results, and Delaware must commit to scaling what works,” she said. “Federal relief dollars may be gone, but the responsibility to our students remains.”

Delaware did see some positive movement in recent years. 

The state ranked second in the nation for math recovery from 2022 to 2024, behind only Washington, D.C. But despite this progress, experts warn that the expiration of federal relief dollars could jeopardize these gains. 

Nationally, the report highlights a similar trend. 

No state showed improvement in both math and reading according to NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) data.

Still, over 100 districts managed to exceed pre-pandemic achievement levels, offering a glimmer of hope for the future. 

The report also found that achievement gaps have widened, with high-income districts nearly four times more likely to recover than their low-income counterparts. 

Federal relief dollars provided a crucial buffer, but the way these funds were allocated varied significantly across districts, which could affect their outcomes.

Chronic absenteeism has emerged as a major barrier to recovery, particularly in high-poverty districts. That metric is defined as the percentage of students who miss 10% or more of school days in an academic year.

With many students missing large amounts of school, the road to academic recovery remains steep.

The full interactive data and findings are available on the scorecard’s website for those looking to explore how efforts to bounce back from the pandemic are progressing in their own states and districts.

Click here for the full report.

“Delaware students cannot afford inaction,” Mumford said.