A new report from Michigan State University researchers warns that going back to school without significant extra support could put the educational progress of children at risk.
“This is a massive disruption in kids’ education,” said Sarah Reckhow, a political science associate professor at Michigan State University.
She worked on a new report from the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative at MSU. It looks at past research and tries to predict how children will be impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
“I am also experiencing it personally. I have a kindergartner and a 3rd grader,” she said.
As a mom she says she is worried. Studies show such a break from school will put children behind, even with distance learning.
“We have extremely non-ideal conditions in every respect. Not only the inequitable access to technology, but the lack of training and the fact that teachers have their own children at home right now in some cases,” said Reckhow.
So she says it makes sense to plan for next school year. The report calls on lawmakers to assume there will be learning loss.The report suggests the state prepare to have not accountability testing at the start of the year, but diagnostic testing to see where students are when they return.
It also calls on policy makers to provide extra resources. - and yes kids - more time in class.