Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most K-12 schools in the United States to close their doors and go into remote-learning mode. Students were expected to learn through a computer screen regardless of their grade.
The pandemic has permanently altered K-12 education, leaving long-term consequences that are still felt today by students, teachers, administrators and parents. Many experts are concerned that these challenges will persist for years to come.
Today, students—both locally and across the country—are still struggling to catch up. The latest scores from the Nation's Report Card reveal that fourth and eighth-grade students are still performing below pre-pandemic levels in both reading and math. Additionally, schools continue to face challenges such as chronic absenteeism and social-emotional issues.
Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll explore what schools are doing to help students get back on track and what obstacles still remain. The struggle begins with getting kids to show up in the morning, but it continues as students face emotional challenges, distractions from cell phones and the ongoing effort to catch up academically. While some of these issues existed before the pandemic, many have been worsened by it.
Guests:
- Donald Jolly II, Superintendent, Warrensville Heights City School District
- Patrick O'Donnell, Education Correspondent, The 74
- Shari Obrenski, President, Cleveland Teachers Union
- Lynn Campbell, Superintendent, Orange City Schools
