On the first nationwide test of American students since the pandemic, scores plummeted to levels not seen in 20 years. The results show how challenging it was to keep students on track during the pandemic.

What do the scores tell us about remote learning, who lost the most ground academically, and what can schools do to help students recover?

Guest: Sarah Mervosh, a national reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading:

• In the U.S., students in most states and across almost all demographic groups have experienced troubling setbacks in both math and reading, according to an authoritative national exam released last month.

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