Since schools across the U.S. first closed last spring, sending about 50 million children to learn remotely, one looming question for educators, parents and children has been: How much has learning suffered?
Data from two national testing programs, Renaissance Learning Inc. and NWEA, which are used widely by U.S. public schools to assess students’ progress, show widespread performance declines at the start of this academic year, particularly in math. The Renaissance Learning study analyzed reading and math scores for more than five million students in grades 1 through 8 who, measuring performance and growth against expectations. Students identified at a “low growth level” are those whose growth falls in the bottom third among their academic peers. Data were more limited this fall, as many schools didn’t administer standardized tests while teaching remotely.
Renaissance’s results also showed that learning declines were particularly acute for fifth and sixth graders, who started the school year 12 or more weeks behind their expected performance in math.
Sadly this pandemic is harder on our children than others realize. The socializing at school is part of growing up. It is important to young people and it takes more discipline to do distance learning. However, what else could be done. This virus has killed 500,000 people.
Or another question, if it hasn't suffered dramatically, what value is our current system delivering?
It’s not the learning that’s suffering. It should not take a pandemic to pursue this inquiry.
thanks
suffered through Lockdowns*