Los Angeles Unified School District students demonstrated the most improvement from 2019-2022 on the National Assessment of Education Progress test in comparison to any other large city, indicating LAUSD’s COVID-19 intervention strategies are achieving positive results.

“The [LAUSD] community has worked tirelessly over the past few years and endured incredible challenges throughout the pandemic, so this news is truly a bright spot after a period of darkness,” Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. “The strategies we have implemented to address learning loss and achievement gaps are working. Is there more work to be done? No doubt. But these are early signs that our deliberate and strategic initiatives are getting students back on track after the past few years of adversity.”

LAUSD’s improvement is particularly evident in 8th grade reading, where scores improved by 9 points since 2019, with the national average declining by 3 points in the same time period. Additionally, increased scores were not driven by a small number of schools making gains; approximately roughly half of the sampled schools increased scores from 2019 to 2022. “Because of our intentional planning and utilization of funds on instructional programs, teacher incentives and connectivity support, our schools are making positive headway that should be celebrated,” Carvalho said. “We will continue formulating strategies that directly impact student achievement and ensure student success. We also thank our teachers, school site employees, District leaders, support staff and families for their unyielding commitment to our students and school communities. Their hard work and dedication is appreciated every day.”

As part of the 2022-26 Strategic Plan, LAUSD has implemented several tactics to address the learning loss from the pandemic including optional Acceleration Days that provide additional instruction time to identify areas of improvement, expanded tutoring services, robust summer school programs, an influx of counselors and mental health supports and targeted professional learning opportunities for teachers at highest-needs schools.

While these early-warning intervention methods are crucial for all students, they are especially critical for historically underserved students who were most adversely affected by the pandemic. LAUSD will continue developing and offering opportunities for students of color, families of low socioeconomic status and students with disabilities, whose learning loss is more acute than their peers.