Our Children This Month, February 2022
Closing The COVID Learning Loss?
As we enter our third year of COVID, schools continue to struggle with the disruptions affecting children. There is growing concern about potential “learning losses”. There is some debate about how to characterize the negative impact Covid disruptions are having on academic achievement. Some say “learning loss,” while others believe “opportunity loss” or “unfinished learning” are more appropriate descriptors of the academic lag, maintaining that students haven’t lost prior learning, rather they are failing to make optimal progress as the pandemic lingers.
A study done in the Fall of 2021 by Curriculum Associates showed that learning has been sliding and students were academically behind historic levels for each grade in reading and mathematics, especially those in lower grades. The i-Ready assessment, which is given three times a year in reading and math to over 9 million students allowed researchers to compare current performance with what would be expected absent COVID. This study found significant declines, especially among the youngest students in math. The impact was the greatest in fall 2020. It appears now to have stabilized, but is still below academic norms, especially in math. Third grade is recognized as the pivotal year for predicting future academic success. In the fall of 2021, 38 percent of third graders were below grade level in reading, compared with 31 percent historically. In math, 39 percent third grade students were below grade level vs. 29 percent historically.
The impact was significantly worse for Black and Latino students, and those in high-poverty schools
The size of the disparity varies, ranging from a few months to a half a year of lost learning. A McKinsey & Co. study found schools with majority-Black populations were five months behind pre-pandemic levels, compared with two months behind in majority-white schools. Students of color and students in low-income schools were losing ground three times as fast as high-income students. Those students who were already behind pre-pandemic showed lower growth when compared to their higher achieving peers. Learning inequities have existed for many years. Covid merely brought them out of hiding, making an already dire reality even worse.
Low-income students, especially those of color, are losing ground three times faster than high-income students. By spring 2021, Hispanic students, who already lagged behind white students by two years before the pandemic, dropped twice as much in academic achievements as white students.
While we don’t have data to evaluate the extent of the decreased learning and disparate impact of COVID here in Fresno, there is little doubt these disparities do exist. In response, education leaders have been working to significantly recast Fresno’s education landscape. Curriculum development is focusing on what the staff at Fresno County Office of Education (FCOE) calls “Learning Acceleration.” They believe that COVID has created an unparalleled opportunity to change fundamental factors that have persistently led to learning inequities. Their priority has been shifting from annual standardized tests to supporting localized assessments, school district by school district. Tools are being developed and funding available for assessments given periodically throughout the year by a teacher in the classroom. This individualized information tells a teacher in real time how a student is doing, allowing for an informed approach to seeing what might be needed for students who are struggling.
The impact of the pandemic on learning goes far beyond academics
Social and emotional well-being and learning are an essential component of academic success. Children have been adversely affected in their social and emotional development by online learning. Studies show that behavioral health is worse in on-line learning as compared to in-person and hybrid instruction. In a recent Harvard survey of roughly 400 families parents reported that children’s behavior worsened during Zoom school. Their children were more prone to misbehave or become aggressive or withdrawn. And children’s mental health has also been deteriorating with a significantly more kids with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal thinking. Just this past December, an alarmed U.S. Surgeon General issued a “rare public advisory” declaring a state of crisis in children’s mental health.
There is new money to support fundamental change
New State and Federal dollars are coming into Fresno which, if used wisely, will support the Accelerated Learning efforts underway. Decisions being made now in advance of the finalized County budget in July could reshape education in Fresno. Last month, the U.S. Education Secretary urged schools to spend COVID relief funds on mental health supports and 90 minutes of high-quality tutoring per week for struggling students. In addition, he called for expanded summer school, after-school programs and additional supports for students with disabilities.
FCOE is working to develop a system of “Community Schools”. Funding is now available with $3 billion appropriated in this year’s state budget for the creation of the California Community Schools Partnership charged with creating schools in high-poverty neighborhoods that comprehensively meet student needs, engage families as partners, empower teachers and create a web of relationships and contracts with outside health and social service agencies. These funds are for planning grants of $200,000 for up to 1,437 districts, charter schools and county offices of education. There is also funding for implementation grants of up to $500,000 annually for five years for new and existing community schools. In addition to money for community schools, the Legislature used a large budget surplus combined with federal COVID aid to pass billions of dollars for new programs to deal with the challenges of COVID. And the Governor has proposed an additional $100 billion over the current budget for education in the 2022-23 budget.
There are no easy fixes to overcome generations of learning inequities. But COVID has given us an opportunity to achieve fundamental structural change. Community input, the voices of parents and other resident leaders, has never been more important than now in the current budgeting decisions. Public input is essential if we are to take maximum advantage of the new resources now available to meet the long-term developmental needs of ALL our children.
Reflection Tool
District Student Wellbeing Services Reflection Tool, produced by Chiefs For Change, provides a menu of exercises to help assess and strengthen services and partnerships that support students' wellbeing and mental health.
Community School Model
Community Schools mobilize students, families, educators, and community members to develop a grassroots vision for their schools and communities providing services and support which fit each neighborhood’s needs. The California Department of Education is now accepting applications. For additional information or to apply click here.
Positivity Project
The Positivity Project is designed to build resilient and empathetic students in a once daily 15 minute unit. Efforts are currently underway in the Central Valley being shepherded by the Welty Center at Fresno State School of Education.
All 4 Youth
All4Youth@fcoe.org, 559-443-4800 M-F 8am-5pm
All4Youth is a collaboration between Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools for children ages 0-22 who are experiencing difficulties that affect them at school and at home. It is an integrated system of care that, with one call, will give all youth and their families access to behavioral health services at school, in the community, or in the home.
United Way 211
211 is a 24/7 call center provided by United Way for help on a wide range of issues, e.g. mental health, housing, rent payments, employment and education, income, food and meal assistance, legal assistance, health and dental care, substance abuse programs, transportation, and more.