New national test scores show the COVID-19 pandemic caused a historic learning setback for children nationwide, according to the National Assessment Governing Board.

While the numbers are troubling, some school officials said they shouldn't come as a shock as education leaders have been warning of the adverse affects the pandemic has had inside the classroom for a while.

According to recent data from the Nation's Report Card, between 20% and 52% of students across the country performed below the basic range in reading in 2022.

Superintendent of Monticello Central School District Matthew Evans said there isn’t a quick fix.

"When we look at the data, we know that different students were affected disproportionately by these interruptions and learning," Evans said. "So I think it's critical that as educators, we look at each individual child and assess their needs and what they need during the school day and outside of the school day, and then communicate those with other teachers and parents and caregivers."

Evans said it’s important every school district puts a plan in place to help support every student's need.

"First and foremost, we've doubled down on early literacy. We've implemented a core reading program step by step," he said. "We've also enhanced our academic intervention services...so that every student in our elementary and middle schools has dedicated intervention time built-in during the school day. We've implemented the ruler, social emotional learning program, where classes have regular meetings with students to assess their social emotional readiness every day. And we've also made free after school tutoring available to every student in the district."

Evans said the school district has seen a decline in math proficiency levels. In 2019, grades three through eight were at a 21%, and that declined to 12% in 2022. For English language arts, they have seen an increase, with 20% in 2019, rising to 25% in 2022.

Evans said the school district wants to continue implementing more programs to help support students with their math proficiency levels.