Using data from the MAP Growth National Dashboard, this research brief highlights an urgent challenge in academic recovery: middle school reading. While students have shown encouraging progress in math and elementary reading since the pandemic, reading achievement among grades 6-8 remain stagnant, with the lowest-performing students falling even further behind.

This is the technical appendix to the “Struggling adolescent readers left behind: Evidence of post-COVID-19 declines and pathways forward” research brief, which highlights an urgent challenge in academic recovery: middle school reading.

This is the technical appendix for “Chronic absenteeism: A continued impediment to academic recovery,” research brief, which examines the relationship between chronic absenteeism and academic recovery from COVID-era disruptions to learning.

This research brief examines the relationship between chronic absenteeism and academic recovery from COVID-era disruptions to learning. Using MAP Growth data from 2,000 US school districts, NWEA researchers analyzed whether persistently high absenteeism rates were associated with slower recovery in math and reading.

The 2025 norms update addresses several critical factors: evolving U.S. student demographics, documented shifts in academic performance following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the item-selection algorithm in the newly enhanced MAP® Growth™.

This is the technical appendix for the NWEA research brief titled, “Behind at the Starting Line,” which examines Kindergarten test scores from more than 400,000 U.S. students and noting patterns that can predict academic success or identify students at risk of falling further behind. This early identification is key for educators, enabling them to intervene and influence learning trajectories before the next critical milestone: third grade.

NWEA research brief examining Kindergarten test scores from more than 400,000 U.S. students and noting patterns that can predict academic success or identify students at risk of falling further behind. This early identification is key for educators, enabling them to intervene and influence learning trajectories before the next critical milestone: third grade.