Author: Dr. Gislaine N. Ngounou
Early data offers a sobering look at interrupted and incomplete learning, but there is hope ahead
As young people, families, and educators near the end of yet another hectic pandemic school year, new research studying the early impact of remote learning offers a sobering look at experiences and outcomes, including interrupted and incomplete learning. The latest study from Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research is based on testing data from 2.1 million students across the country. It shows that school closures widened both economic and racial inequality in learning — which was already at unacceptable rates prior to the pandemic. One particularly gripping data point demonstrates that of school districts that were remote for most of 2020-21, high-poverty schools experienced 50 percent more achievement loss than low-poverty schools.