These results are concerning. They are concerning as we continue to combat pandemic-related learning loss,” one official said.

Massachusetts education officials released the latest MCAS testing​ results on Tuesday, saying students appear to have fallen even further behind academically following the COVID pandemic.

Even the youngest students, third graders who were only in kindergarten when schools shut down, remain significantly behind their pre-pandemic peers.

During a Monday afternoon press briefing, Massachusetts Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler acknowledged that the 2024 results on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS, did not show as much improvement as officials had hoped.