The COVID-19 pandemic had many negative effects on downtown Phoenix residents’ everyday lives, but educators are just beginning to realize how serious the implications on children’s education and learning have been.
Elementary school districts within Arizona have been presented with the difficult task of catching children up after a year of online and hybrid schooling.
Learning online is significantly different than in-person learning for both the students and teachers. As a result of the abrupt shift to a different teaching model in response to the pandemic, children have been falling behind in their studies and are having difficulties learning new material at the same rate as students in the past.
The COVID learning loss in classrooms, especially for younger students, is significant.
ASU Preparatory Academy is a K-12 charter school that prepares students to graduate and continue onto a university. ASU Prep. principal, Dr. Johanna Even, noticed that since the return of in-person learning, students have been excited to be back in-person at their schools.
ASU Preparatory Academy, at the beginning of the pandemic, offered families three different models to follow in mid-February after being fully remote for a month. Families were given the option for their students to be fully digital, hybrid, which means online and in-person, or attend classes fully on campus. Now, there are two options for students: To be fully in person or use a hybrid method. They adapted to this change by assigning some teachers to strictly hybrid classes and dedicated other teachers to in person teaching.
Even has noticed that their standardized test scores in reading and math have not been as strong in their elementary students as previous years. This is an issue that is affecting schools statewide.
Even commented on this saying, “We definitely noticed a dip in student achievement levels and readiness for the next grade level. We are working hard to be strategic about how we identify what students need and how we can best approach their needs and accelerate their learning.”
ASU Preparatory Academy will continue to work hard to pay attention and listen to the needs of students to ensure academic success.
Education Forward Arizona, an advocacy group for education improvements for community members of Arizona, has created the Arizona Education Progress Meter. This meter’s purpose is to, “unite people around a shared vision for where we agree we should be as a state, and allow us to measure progress, celebrate successes and take action together.”
This meter displays how “far behind” Arizona has fallen in education. For example, only 46% of 3rd grade students scored proficient or highly proficient on the AzMERIT 3rd grade English language arts assessment. This percentage is extremely low as the goal is to have at least 72% of 3rd grade students test as proficiently. This has been a wake up call for educators across Arizona.
Many non-profit companies have also realized the extent of the damage that the pandemic has had on the education of the youth. Many have made strides to aid educators in closing the learning gap that has been created.
The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce worked with Data Doctors and Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology (AzStRUT) to “solicit, prepare and provide laptops to as many students as possible.” This, and other similar programs, are aimed at making school supplies more accessible for those who do not have them at home during times of online learning.
Despite these efforts, educators will likely have to continue to alter curriculums and learning methods to ensure that students are able to catch up in order to close the education gap created by the pandemic here in Arizona.
Contact the reporter at cgilmor7@asu.edu.
Cecelia, who is Downtown Devil's education editor, is a journalism student at Arizona State University. When she is not reporting she enjoys running, listening to Rex Orange County and being from New York.
