A 2022 report from the National Association of Educational Progress which is released every two years, revealed declining math and reading test scores for students across the country.

For Arizona, the results showed that during the pandemic math scores for students in fourth and eighth grades declined but their reading levels were relatively stable with no significant change.

Recently on PBS’s “Arizona Horizon,” David Lujan from the Children’s Action Alliance spoke about the results.

“Our scores did not drop as much over the last two years as they did nationally, but we are still, for example, 29th in the country in fourth grade reading proficiency. Thirty-one percent of Arizona’s fourth graders are proficient in reading, which is not acceptable,” he said.

He suggested the pandemic likely contributed to poor outcomes. Lujan also recommended bringing back full-day kindergarten as one solution to low performances by students.