Nevada Students Making Steady Progress, But Pandemic’s Impact Still Felt

Nevada’s students are demonstrating continued improvement in core subjects like math and language arts, according to a new report from the Department of Education. However, the data reveals a lingering challenge – regaining ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report shows that while proficiency rates are inching upward, significant work remains. In the 2023-24 school year, only 32.6% of students achieved math proficiency, indicating a need for further improvement.

Despite this, education officials are optimistic. “The proficiency results are encouraging,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “These are a testament to the hard work of our students, educators, and families.”

This marks the second consecutive year of improvement. While the progress is modest – a 1.3% increase in math proficiency and a 0.3% increase in language arts – the trend is positive. Notably, all student groups showed gains, with the highest increases among Asian (2.2%) and Black students (2.1%).

Proficiency gains weren’t uniform across grade levels. Third graders saw the most significant improvement in math, while fifth graders led the way in language arts.

On a brighter note, chronic absenteeism rates dropped dramatically last year. Decreasing by nearly 10 points to 25.9%, this decrease reflects a concerted effort across the state’s education system.

“This 9 percent improvement is a major accomplishment,” Ebert said, highlighting the importance of ensuring students are consistently present in class.

For a deeper dive into performance data by district and school, visit the Nevada Report Card website at nevadareportcard.nv.gov.

Source: Fox5Vegas