US states report varying levels of student academic recovery

California Governor Gavin Newsom has claimed academic gains in student achievement, citing state investments in universal transitional kindergarten, literacy support, and school meals. According to the governor's office, achievement scores reached 71% in English language arts, 61.8% in mathematics, and 86.5% in science. However, education analyst Lance Izumi of the Pacific Research Institute criticized these figures, arguing that grouping students who are near proficiency with those who meet standards obscures actual academic shortcomings.

In Hawaiʻi, the Department of Education reported that public school students are nearing pre-pandemic proficiency levels. Language arts proficiency stands at 53.2% compared to 54.1% before the pandemic, while mathematics proficiency reached 42.5% against a pre-pandemic level of 43.1%. Hawaiʻi has also seen a steady increase in regular attendance, which rose to 76.8% from 66.1% in the 2021-22 school year. State officials noted that proficiency must increase at a faster pace to meet 2029 targets.