For many K–12 schools, the new academic year kicked off with a long list of problems: videoconferencing glitches, device shortages, cyberattacks — all amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s another urgent challenge they also need to address: learning loss.

Academic progress for millions of K–12 students was disrupted with the scramble to implement remote learning after the pandemic shut down school buildings last spring. Some fell behind because they lacked reliable internet access or devices; others were supporting their families by working or taking care of younger siblings and sick relatives.

Whatever the reasons, some students have gone without academic instruction for as long as six months.

Now, it’s critical that educators conduct comprehensive assessments of students’ knowledge as they return to school. Collecting and analyzing data about student achievement is crucial to that work. Reliable data analysis and preassessment tools are key. It’s also important that educators can conduct assessments remotely, as most districts are starting the year with some amount of online instruction.