WASHINGTON (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic spared no state or region as it caused historic learning setbacks for America’s children, erasing decades of academic progress and widening racial disparities, according to results of a national test that provide the sharpest look yet at the scale of the crisis.

Across the country, math scores saw their largest decreases ever. Reading scores dropped to 1992 levels. Nearly four in 10 eighth graders failed to grasp basic math concepts. Not a single state saw a notable improvement in their average test scores, with some simply treading water at best.

Those are the findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress — known as the “nation’s report card” — which tested hundreds of thousands of fourth and eighth graders across the country this year. It was the first time the test had been given since 2019, and it’s seen as the first nationally representative study of the pandemic’s impact on learning.

“It is a serious wakeup call for us all,” Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the Education Department, said in an interview. “In NAEP, when we experience a 1- or 2-point decline, we’re talking about it as a significant impact on a student’s achievement. In math, we experienced an 8-point decline — historic for this assessment.”

Researchers usually think of a 10-point gain or drop as equivalent to roughly a year of learning.

It’s no surprise that children are behind. The pandemic upended every facet of life and left millions learning from home for months or more. The results released Monday reveal the depth of those setbacks, and the size of the challenge facing schools as they help students catch up.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said it’s a sign that schools need to redouble their efforts, using billions of dollars that Congress gave schools to help students recover.

“Let me be very clear: these results are not acceptable,” Cardona said.

The NAEP test is typically given every two years. It was taken between January and March by a sample of students in every state, along with 26 of the nation’s largest school districts. Scores had been stalling even before the pandemic, but the new results show decreases on a scale not seen before.

In both math and reading, students scored lower than those tested in 2019. But while reading scores dipped, math scores plummeted by the largest margins in the history of the NAEP test, which began in 1969.

Math scores were worst among eighth graders, with 38% earning scores deemed “below basic” — a cutoff that measures, for example, whether students can find the third angle of a triangle if they’re given the other two. That’s worse than 2019, when 31% of eighth graders scored below that level.

No part of the country was exempt. Every region saw test scores slide, and every state saw declines in at least one subject.

Several major districts saw test scores fall by more than 10 points. Cleveland saw the largest single drop, falling 16 points in fourth-grade reading, along with a 15-point decline in fourth-grade math. Baltimore and Tennessee’s Shelby County also saw precipitous declines.

“This is more confirmation that the pandemic hit us really hard,” said Eric Gordon, chief executive for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. To help students recover, the school system has beefed up summer school and added after-school tutoring.

“I’m not concerned that they can’t or won’t recover,” Gordon said. “I’m concerned that the country won’t stay focused on getting kids caught up.”

The results show a reversal of progress on math scores, which had made big gains since the 1990s. Reading, by contrast, had changed little in recent decades, so even this year’s relatively small decreases put the averages back to where they were in 1992.

Most concerning, however, are the gaps between students.

Confirming what many had feared, racial inequities appear to have widened during the pandemic. In fourth grade, Black and Hispanic students saw bigger decreases than white students, widening gaps that have persisted for decades.

Inequities were also reflected in a growing gap between higher and lower-performing students. In math and reading, scores fell most sharply among the lowest-performing students, creating a widening chasm between struggling students and the rest of their peers.

Surveys done as part of this year’s test illustrate the divide.

When schools shifted to remote learning, higher-performing students were far more likely to have reliable access to quiet spaces, computers and help from their teachers, the survey found.

The results make clear that schools must address the “long-standing and systemic shortcomings of our education system,” said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Los Angeles schools and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets the policies for the test.

“While the pandemic was a blow to schools and communities, we cannot use it as an excuse,” he said. “We have to stay committed to high standards and expectations and help every child succeed.”

Other recent studies have found that students who spent longer periods learning online suffered greater setbacks. But the NAEP results show no clear connection. Areas that returned to the classroom quickly still saw significant declines, and cities — which were more likely to stay remote longer — actually saw milder decreases than suburban districts, according to the results.

Los Angeles can claim one of the few bright spots in the results. The nation’s second-largest school district saw eighth-grade reading scores increase by 9 points, the only significant uptick in any district. For other districts, it was a feat just to hold even, as achieved by Dallas and Florida’s Hillsborough County.

Testing critics caution against putting too much stock in exams like NAEP, but there’s no doubt that the skills it aims to measure are critical. Students who take longer to master reading are more likely to drop out and end up in the criminal justice system, research has found. And eighth grade is seen as a pivotal time to develop skills for math, science and technology careers.

For Carr, the results raise new questions about what will happen to students who appear to be far behind in attaining those skills.

“We want our students to be prepared globally for STEM careers, science and technology and engineering,” she said. “This puts all of that at risk. We have to do a reset. This is a very serious issue, and it’s not going to go away on its own.”

We’ve gotten to the point in the COVID-19 pandemic where you’re probably not stressed every single day about getting the virus—the wide availability of COVID-19 vaccines and effective treatments have thankfully made that possible. And, with that, you likely have some tests around your place for the just-in-case that may have been sitting there for a while.

Here’s the thing, though: They can expire. Yep, there is a COVID-19 test expiration date printed on your package that you may not even realize is there.

Many COVID-19 tests last for just a year or so, but the odds are high that you’ll need to use yours at some point. That may or may not be before the expiration date stamped on your package passes.

So, do expired COVID-19 tests work, or do you need to toss what you thought was a perfectly good test? It’s actually a little complicated. Here’s what you need to know.

So, do expired COVID-19 tests work?

Yes and no. To fully understand that, it’s important to explain how COVID-19 tests get an expiration date in the first place.

“When tests are developed, the company will assess the test over time to make sure it’s performing with the quality standards intended,” says Thomas Russo, M.D., a professor and the chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo in New York. “Whatever time frame they assess it for is the expiration date that will go on that test.”

This “doesn’t necessarily mean that the test won’t perform for a longer period of time,” Russo says—it’s just the amount of time that the test has been assessed for and what is authorized or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Older tests are more likely to have shorter expiration dates because there were time pressures to get tests out earlier in the pandemic, when they were first developed, and only so much time since they had been created to test how long they were good for, Russo says. “However, companies kept assessing the tests over time,” he says.

As a result, “many manufacturers have received shelf life extensions by the FDA,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

The FDA has a list online of authorized home COVID-19 tests, along with links to “updated expiration dates” so you can check to see if your test’s expiration date has been extended.

“If you have a test and it’s ‘expired’ based on what the package says, it may or may not be the most correct expiration date,” Russo said.

What happens if you use an expired test?

Again, the expiration dates are a reflection of how long the company that manufactured the test found that it was good for—or the period of time in which they were able to assess the test. With that, there’s a chance that your test will still be good beyond the expiration date listed.

“Most tests will still perform past their expiration date for several weeks,” Adalja said.

If the test has truly expired “you are more likely to get a false negative,” said Jamie Alan, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. “The test might be negative because the reagents or ‘ingredients’ are past their shelf life and are not working as they should,” she said. “They are likely good past their expiration date, although how long I cannot say with any degree of certainty.”

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and the only test you have at home is expired, Alan says you could try it.

“If you get a positive, you are probably positive,” she says. “If you get a negative, it would be good to follow up with another test, either a PCR test or another rapid at-home test.”

Why do COVID-19 tests expire?

COVID-19 tests contain specific reagents that react with the virus, or lack thereof, from your swab, Alan explains.

“These ingredients do not work forever,” she says. “This is true for medications, lab materials, and food.”

How do I know if my BinaxNOW is expired?

BinaxNOW is one of the most popular home tests out there, and it typically has an expiration date stamped on the back of the box. But, again, that may not be the most up-to-date expiration date for your test.

If you have a test with an expired date on the package, check out the FDA’s list of updated expiration dates for BinaxNOW tests to see if it’s been extended. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to have your box’s lot number handy.

But, if your test is expired—both on the box and per the FDA’s updated dating—and you want to be sure you’re getting an accurate reading, Russo says it’s “probably best to not use that test.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on Friday to consumers and health providers to discontinue using and discard recalled Pilot COVID-19 at-home tests made by SD Biosensor, Inc. over "significant concerns" of bacterial contamination.

SD Biosensor is recalling all impacted tests, which were distributed by Roche Diagnostics to various retailers to stop the spread of COVID-19 infections.

Throw out any Pilot tests from the affected lot numbers and do not pour the liquid solution down the drain, the FDA said.

"Direct contact with the contaminated liquid solution may pose safety concerns and the bacterial contamination could impact the performance of the test," the FDA said in a news release.

The FDA said the tests may be contaminated with bacteria such as enterococcus, enterobacter, klebsiella and serratia species and cause infection. Bacterial infections may cause illness in people with weakened immune systems.

If the liquid comes into contact with skin or eyes, flush with large amounts of water and get medical attention if irritation persists. Signs and symptoms of bacterial infection can include fever, discharge, or red eyes.

Some 500,000 tests were distributed to CVS Health, as well as about 16,000 tests to Amazon, the FDA said, and the agency is working with Roche Diagnostics to determine how many tests were sold to consumers.

The FDA notes that none of the impacted lots were distributed through any federal testing programs.

"If you received your tests through the COVID.gov/tests distribution or as part of other federal testing programs, they are not subject to this safety communication or product recall," the release said.

More than 50 million households have received their free home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, a senior White House adviser told CNN on Wednesday.

"That's more than 80% of those who've ordered their tests have gotten them, and the rest will get them this week," Dr. Tom Inglesby, senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 response team, said on CNN's "New Day."

Roughly 10 million people are still waiting to receive their tests. Several have written to CNN in recent days to vent their frustration that their kits have yet to arrive, some nearly a month after they requested them.

Americans have been able to order four free COVID-19 tests per residential address at covidtests.gov since Jan. 18. The White House is distributing 1 billion tests, which had been in short supply at many retailers and online vendors during the surge of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in December and January.

The majority of CNN readers praised the ordering process, saying it was easy and swift.

But others ran into roadblocks. Most of them received messages saying orders had already been placed for their addresses, but some said they couldn't get the tests delivered to PO boxes, mobile home parks, boats or rural addresses. Still, others said the U.S. Postal Service didn't recognize their addresses or disqualified them because they run small businesses from their homes.

Still waiting for their tests

Those who requested tests received confirmation emails that said they'll get tracking numbers and updates on expected delivery dates once their orders ship. But for some folks, that's the last they heard about their tests.

Irene DiCaprio, who placed her order on Jan. 18, has not received any information about when her tests will arrive at her Orange, Connecticut, home. Several friends who live elsewhere in the state received their kits within a week or two of signing up.

DiCaprio, 70, would like to have the tests in hand before she and her husband travel to Las Vegas in a few weeks for a family reunion that's been on hold for two years. She has only one home test left from a box she bought at Walgreens. As a Medicare enrollee, she is not yet eligible to have the cost of home tests bought at retailers covered.

"When I saw that it was $24 for the two of them, I thought, well, I'm not going to be buying many at the pharmacy," said DiCaprio. "If I have to, I will. But I prefer not to, especially since I'm not going to get reimbursed."

Medicare has said it will start covering home tests bought at retailers in the early spring.

Tracking COVID-19:

David Baize of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, is surprised that federal officials have not put more of a focus on rapid delivery.

"I would think something of this importance would have a high priority, and there would have been greater attention and effort as to how distribution would unfold," said Baize, 67, who ordered the tests on Jan. 19 but has yet to receive them.

He opened a case with the Postal Service on Sunday to try to get some answers but has yet to hear back. Meanwhile, his family in the Detroit area were sent their free federal tests soon after ordering them.

Asked at a news conference Wednesday about the progress of the free home test program, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients commended the job the Postal Service is doing.

Related video above: Doctor on how to properly use at-home COVID tests

Once the package ships, more than 60% are delivered within 24 hours, and 90% within 48 hours, he noted.

"This is an effort that has no precedent," Zients said. "There's been incredibly strong demand and incredibly strong execution shipping 200 million tests directly to Americans' doorsteps."

Falling case counts

Some of the urgency to get the free federal kits has passed. Home tests are more widely available at retailers now, and many Americans with private insurance can receive up to eight free tests per covered individual each month.

Also, the omicron wave is receding. When the covidtests.gov site opened on Jan. 18, the average number of new COVID-19 cases reported daily in the U.S. was nearly 750,000. That number has since fallen to just over 136,000 per day.

Still, tests will be needed to interrupt the spread of COVID-19 over the long term since they allow people to get quick diagnoses and access treatment, as well as protect more vulnerable Americans, Inglesby told CNN.

"We're very happy to see that subsiding," he said of the omicron surge. "But we're going to need these tests for the long run."

Doctors agree a nationwide test shortage is only worsening COVID-19's grip on the United States. But it's also inspiring community groups to act.Greater Providence Baptist Church in New Orleans gave roughly 200 tests Tuesday — no appointments needed. The event marked a welcome offering for people who have wasted days unsuccessfully searching for tests."I thank God for this, because it's been so hard to find testing," said Casey Turner, a mail carrier who needs a negative test before returning to work. "I was in and out in less than five minutes here. It was perfect."Pastor Javonte Jimcoily decided to offer tests at his church following his own recent ordeal with long waits and site closures."These lines are ridiculous," he said. "We have to do something. I believe it starts here with our own church, so that's all I want to do. All I want to do is be a blessing to somebody."Tulane epidemiologist Dr. Susan Hassig hopes more churches and community centers can follow suit, provided they can acquire enough kits to administer tests."If they have a supply they can utilize and target toward their communities, I think that's a totally appropriate and relevant role for them to play," she said.As for Turner, she expects to get her results in about two days. That's nothing, she argues, compared to the peace of mind she feels now — and she wants others to feel it, too."Families would feel more secure," she said. "I think it wouldn't be as chaotic as what's going on right now." 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

FLORENCE, Ky. —

People lined up to get last-minute COVID-19 tests ahead of Thanksgiving.

Those who got swabbed said they wanted peace of mind.

They told us they want to be safe as they reunite with loved ones.

Officials with Gravity Diagnostics estimated they gave hundreds of tests at the location in Florence alone on Wednesday.

Those who arrived for a test saw the demand was high.

"It was just a long line, I didn't realize this many people got tested," Anthony Kopp said.

Kopp found himself with plenty of company at a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in northern Kentucky.

"Just wanted to make sure I was alright because I was hanging out with family," he said.

Gravity Diagnostics has been busy at the Florence Mall location.

Jeff Wellens, the director of field services, said on Tuesday they processed about 450 tests at the mall location and he estimated similar numbers for Wednesday.

"The trends that we saw during last November during the peak of the pandemic, while we didn't have drive-thrus, this is kind of a seasonal event and we see a lot of the same trends unfolding here in the month of November leading up to the holiday season, right," he said.

New COVID-19 cases are still prevalent in our region.

On Wednesday, Ohio reported more than 6,700 new cases, Indiana reported more than 4,000 new cases and Kentucky reported more than 2,100 new cases.

Officials at the testing site estimate at least 1,500 tests were collected on Wednesday from locations in Covington, Fort Mitchell and Florence.

Wellens told WLWT the Covington location provides same-day test results while the Fort Mitchell and Florence locations provide results in about 24 hours.

It's not just the Thanksgiving dinner driving people to get swabbed.

"We have tickets to The Aronoff and it's one of their requirements, you either have to be vaccinated or tested and at this point, I'm still researching how I feel about the vaccine. I'm not saying either way, it's just my personal opinion and so this is the only other way we get to see Wicked," Donna Taylor said.

In Taylor's case, every test means peace of mind.

"It's important to me. I don't want to go around anybody if I'm carrying it or if I'm sick. Obviously, my parents are older and my mother-in-law and I want to keep them safe," she said.

Officials with Gravity Diagnostics told WLWT they're also expecting another testing rush after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and said they will be prepared for it.

They said last week, they surpassed 3 million tests given across all of the Gravity Diagnostics locations.

Wellens told WLWT the locations will be expanding hours next week, but the drive-thru locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

He also said they've developed a new app that makes it easier to pre-register and speed up the testing process.

You can learn more about testing and Gravity Diagnostics here.