A recent article in the NYTimes has highlighted an issue that is affecting children all over the world and needs to be addressed: whether, as well as how, one should “measure the academic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation’s children — and how to describe learning gaps without stigmatizing or discouraging students and families”. Inevitably the effect of school closures – in some cases for up to a whole year – has had an impact on the learning of basic skills in reading and maths. One of the main issues with trying to measure this is that the most affected by the pandemic in the first place are those suffering this loss of education, namely Black, Hispanic and low-income children. The plan to test children, in order to get a fix on how bad the situation is, is coming up against much resistance. There have been suggestions that funds due from the federal government to boost education could help to fund “in-school tutoring from a highly trained teacher or aide, ideally one-on-one or in a small group” and in this way help those who most need the catch-up. Whatever is done it needs to come soon and have some impact. Failure to achieve this will leave a large stain on the gains made in education over many decades. It’s time for action.
nytimes.com/2021/04/08/us/school-testing-education-covid.html