#science
www.nytimes.com
In math, Black students lost 13 points, compared with five points among white students, widening the gap between the two groups. Research has documented the profound effect school closures had on low-income students and on Black and Hispanic students, in part because their schools were more likely to continue remote learning for longer periods of time.
The setbacks could have powerful consequences for a generation of children who must move beyond basics in elementary school to thrive later on.
Being so far behind could lead to disengagement in school, making it less likely that they graduate from high school or attend college.
In some parts of the country, the worst of the disruptions were short lived, with schools reopening that fall. But in other areas, particularly in big cities led by democrats with large populations of low-income students and students of color, schools remained closed for many months, and some did not fully reopen until last year.
“It erased the progress, and it exacerbated the inequality,” Dr. Ho said.
He estimated that losing one point on the national exam roughly translated to about three weeks of learning. That means a top-performing student who lost three points in math could catch up in as little as nine weeks, while a low-performing student who lost 12 points would need 36 weeks, or almost nine months, to make up ground — and would still be significantly behind more advanced peers.
There are indications that students — fully back in school — have begun to learn at a normal pace once again, but experts say it will take more than the typical school day to make up gaps created by the pandemic.
The Pandemic Erased Two Decades of Progress in Math and Reading
The results of a national test showed just how devastating the last two years have been for 9-year-old schoolchildren, especially the most vulnerable.
In math, Black students lost 13 points, compared with five points among white students, widening the gap between the two groups. Research has documented the profound effect school closures had on low-income students and on Black and Hispanic students, in part because their schools were more likely to continue remote learning for longer periods of time.
The setbacks could have powerful consequences for a generation of children who must move beyond basics in elementary school to thrive later on.
Being so far behind could lead to disengagement in school, making it less likely that they graduate from high school or attend college.
In some parts of the country, the worst of the disruptions were short lived, with schools reopening that fall. But in other areas, particularly in big cities led by democrats with large populations of low-income students and students of color, schools remained closed for many months, and some did not fully reopen until last year.
“It erased the progress, and it exacerbated the inequality,” Dr. Ho said.
He estimated that losing one point on the national exam roughly translated to about three weeks of learning. That means a top-performing student who lost three points in math could catch up in as little as nine weeks, while a low-performing student who lost 12 points would need 36 weeks, or almost nine months, to make up ground — and would still be significantly behind more advanced peers.
There are indications that students — fully back in school — have begun to learn at a normal pace once again, but experts say it will take more than the typical school day to make up gaps created by the pandemic.
