Reading scores for young kids lag years after pandemic: Research

March 10, 2026 - 18:11

New research reveals a concerning trend in early literacy, indicating that students who were not yet in school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic are now struggling to catch up in reading. This finding is particularly striking because these young learners avoided the direct classroom closures and remote learning challenges faced by older students.

The study suggests that the pandemic's broader societal disruptions have had a cascading effect on foundational learning. Factors such as reduced access to preschool, library closures, and general stress within households may have limited opportunities for these children to develop crucial pre-reading skills. These skills include vocabulary building, letter recognition, and phonological awareness, which are essential building blocks for future academic success.

Educators are now observing that many children in the early elementary grades are arriving at school with less preparedness than in pre-pandemic years. This has placed increased pressure on kindergarten and first-grade teachers, who are tasked with addressing these gaps while trying to maintain grade-level curriculum pacing.

The data underscores that the academic impact of the pandemic is complex and extends beyond the students who were directly engaged in remote instruction. School systems are now emphasizing the urgent need for targeted early intervention and literacy support to help this youngest cohort of students get back on track.