New Study Shows Urban School Students are Making Academic Progress

PRESS RELEASE                                                                                                                                                                              CONTACT:  Tonya Harris at (202) 393-2427  
May 13, 2026                                                                                                                                                                                                       or tharris@cgcs.org       
                       

 WASHINGTON, D.C., May 13—Urban school districts have made significant progress in reading and mathematics since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the newly released Education Recovery Scorecard. The national study, conducted by researchers at Harvard University and Stanford University, standardizes state assessment scores onto a common metric, allowing comparisons of reading and mathematics achievement across districts nationwide. 
The study’s findings indicate that member districts of the Council of the Great City Schools, a national coalition of 82 large urban school districts, continue to make notable improvements in reading and mathematics, with the largest gains since the pandemic occurring between 2022 and 2025. In addition, some of the largest improvements in both reading and mathematics achievement are seen in several large urban districts that serve high concentrations of students experiencing poverty and those who have been historically underserved.  Achieving sustained academic progress in these complex systems remains especially challenging. (Figure 1, below).

Figure 1. Actual and Predicted Academic Recovery by District Poverty 

“The report highlights the significant benefits that districts received from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) and demonstrates the impact on student achievement had these federal investments not been made,” said Council Executive Director Ray Hart. “This report proves that when state and federal investments are made in education, it directly benefits our nation’s low-income students.”

While reading recovery has been slower since the pandemic compared to mathematics, the 2025 school year marks a significant turning point. The Education Recovery Scorecard reveals that for the first time since even before the pandemic, the nation is seeing measurable improvements in reading, largely driven by gains in big-city school districts. 

“These improvements reflect sustained investments in high-quality instructional materials, evidence-based literacy instruction, expanded student supports, and overall academic recovery strategies financed by federal relief funds,” said Hart. “Districts utilized federal funding to create cohesive instructional systems and support that accelerate student learning, leading to the progress we are witnessing in overall student achievement.”

Several districts have now surpassed national pre-pandemic reading benchmarks and in most recent years, post-pandemic benchmarks. Birmingham City Schools, Baltimore City Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and East Baton Rouge Parish School System all recorded reading growth that exceeded 2019 national performance levels. These districts also continued to post strong reading gains between 2022 and 2025, along with other big city districts, including Richmond Public Schools, Cincinnati Public Schools, District of Columbia Public Schools, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Atlanta Public Schools.  

LaMont Cole, superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish School System, attributes recent reading gains to a disciplined focus on instructional quality and equity across the school district.  

“Over the past three years, we made purposeful investments in standards aligned curriculum, strengthened professional learning for educators, and used assessment data more strategically to respond to student needs, alongside expanded tutoring and additional learning time,” said Cole. “To sustain and accelerate these gains, we are continuing key start time and school realignment initiatives — including the creation of K–2 foundational learning centers — designed to strengthen early literacy and math where it matters most, while deepening partnerships with families and the community to support long term student success.” 

Results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card, had begun to show signs of improvement in mathematics both nationally and among large urban districts. The latest findings from the Education Recovery Scorecard further confirm that the strategic investments in high-quality instruction, targeted interventions, and mathematics-focused recovery strategies across large urban districts are continuing to drive meaningful academic progress. 

Several districts demonstrated exceptional growth in mathematics between 2019 to 2025. Birmingham City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Houston Independent School District, Orange County Public Schools (FL), Pinellas County Public Schools (FL), and Charleston County School District exceeded 2019 national performance benchmarks, demonstrating that student progress in these districts is outpacing national growth patterns in mathematics.

Big-city school districts such as Cincinnati Public Schools, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Winston-Salem Forsyth County Public Schools (NC) recorded strong post-pandemic mathematics gains between 2022 and 2025, highlighting their accelerated growth. 

Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Shauna Murphy credits the district’s focus on putting students first and making meaningful investments in strong instruction, targeted academic supports, and whole-child services that help students succeed. 

“The progress reflected in these results is a testament to the hard work of our students, staff, families, and community partners,” said Murphy. “Looking ahead, we will continue investing in evidence-based instruction, early literacy, student supports, and pathways that prepare students for success in college, career, and life. Everything we do remains grounded in our commitment to being Here for Kids.” 

Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools, said the district’s gains in reading and mathematics reflect years of deliberate investment in proven strategies that work, such as effective instruction utilizing high-quality instructional materials and proactive supports that meet students’ needs both inside and outside the classroom. 

“These supports, including interventions such as intensive tutoring through our Accelerating Scholars program, have served as high-impact strategies to support our educators in accelerating student learning,” said Battle. “Our educators are committed to sustaining and building on these investments. That means continuing to strengthen classroom instruction, expanding access to tutoring and summer learning, and making sure every student has a clear path to success as they transition and after graduation. Our students have shown what is possible when we commit to their potential, and we have no intention of slowing down.” 

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About the Council of the Great City Schools:
The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 82 large city school districts, its mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for inner-city students through legislation, research, and media relations.  The organization also provides a network for school districts sharing common problems to exchange information, and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. www.cgcs.org