California's K-12 students are gradually rebounding from the pandemic, with nearly all student groups, especially low-income Black and Latino students, showing progress in math and English language arts.

That's according to recent standardized test scores released by the state.

The Smarter Balance Test, given annually to students in grades 3 to 8, and 11, provides the most comprehensive look at how California's students are faring academically.

In 2023, 47% of students statewide met or exceeded the English language arts standards, up from 46.7% the previous year.

35.5% met or exceeded the math standard, up from 34.6% the previous year.

Black, Latino, and low-income students showed bigger gains than the state average in most categories, although still had lower scores overall.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond attributed the bump in scores to schools' heavy investments in tutoring, after-school programs, training for teachers, and other programs intended to help students catch up after most campuses closed for the 2021 school year, due to COVID-19.

Many of those programs were funded through federal pandemic relief grants, which ended recently.

Compton Unified School District in Los Angeles County continued its upward trajectory, with math and English language arts scores both climbing almost three percentage points.

The school district, where 94% of students are low-income, invested in a wide range of tutoring services, including tutors in classrooms to provide immediate help for students who need it.

Although the scores overall inched upward, they're still far below pre-pandemic levels.

Both English language arts and math scores are four percentage points below their 2018/'19 levels, which were among the highest scores for California students since the state began administering the Smarter Balance Test in 2014.

For CalMatters, I'm Carolyn Jones.