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FACT BRIEF

Have Nevada students fallen behind those in other states due to pandemic school closures?

By Todd Butterworth
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YES

Available data studying learning loss in Nevada as compared to the nation is still preliminary because the “Nations Report Card” from the National Center for Education Statistics does not have post-pandemic data available. However, Politico compiled a “State Pandemic Scorecard” that includes education outcomes. It shows only six states had worse education impacts than Nevada, and states with more restrictive school closure policies tended to fare worse than those that reopened their schools sooner. It should be noted the education data in the Politico scorecard is preliminary and partial.

A study by the nonprofit NWEA shows pandemic school closures had a substantial negative impact on student achievement nationally. Test scores from 5.4 million U.S. students in grades 3-8 revealed a significantly greater impact from pandemic lockdowns than previous school disruptions, such as those caused by natural disasters. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
The Nation's Report Card NAEP Report Cards
Politico Covid’s deadly tradeoffs, by the numbers: How each state has fared in the pandemic
Reading Rockets Test Score Patterns Across Three COVID-19-impacted School Years
Nevada Independent Report highlights inequities in education in Nevada made worse by pandemic – The Nevada Independent
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The Nevada Independent
The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.