NEARLY THREE YEARS INTO THE PANDEMIC, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE STILL TRYING
TO CLOSE THE EDUCATION GAP. TONIGHT, GEOFF BENNETT CONTINUES
HIS REPORTING ON LEARNING LOSS AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO
OVERCOME. REPORTER: YESTERDAY, WE REPORTED
HOW BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS HELPING CHILDREN
CATCH UP. TODAY, WE FOCUS ON THE
CHALLENGES FACING STUDENTS NATIONWIDE, AND EFFORTS TO STEM
THAT LEARNING LOSS. CONGRESS GAVE SCHOOLS BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS TO HELP STUDENTS GET UP TO SPEED ON WHAT THEY MISSED.
BUT, NUMEROUS STUDIES SHOW STUDENTS ARE STILL BEHIND.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, READING SCORES DROPPED BY THE LARGEST
NUMBERS IN 30 YEARS AND MATH SCORES FELL FOR THE FIRST TIME
EVER. ROBERT IS A RESEARCHER, HE IS
WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS TO
ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS. >> IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
PAINT A PICTURE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE NATIONWIDE.
>> HAS BEEN QUITE SIGNIFICANT. ON AVERAGE, STUDENTS LOST MORE
THAN ONE HALF YEAR OF MATH LEARNING, IT HAD TWO SOURCES.
INTERRUPTED LEARNING. IT WAS ALSO A DISCONNECTION FROM
SCHOOLING. ONCE THAT WAS BROKEN, IT WAS
HARD TO REPAIR. THE OTHER THING IS SOME KIDS HAD
MORE THAN OTHERS. IN SOME OTHER PLACES, THEY DID
NOT LOSE MUCH AT ALL. JOHN: WHAT TYPES OF
INTERVENTIONS ARE WORKING? >> WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GOOD
THINGS IN OUR ARSENAL. REMIND OURSELVES THE KIDS ARE
RESILIENT. IF WE GIVE THEM GOOD
INSTRUCTION, MANY CAN ACCELERATE.
FOR THOSE WITH THE BIGGEST LOSSES, THERE IS NOTHING BETTER
THAN HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING. THERE IS RESEARCH SHOWING THAT
IF KIDS KNOW THERE IS AN ADULT CARES AT THEM, THEY WILL FEEL
CONNECTED AND THAT'S AS CLOSE AS WE HAVE TWO A PREVENTION
MEASURE. REPORTER: SCHOOLS ARE FACING A
HARROWING STEP IN SHORTAGE. IT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE IN RURAL
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THERE WAS SOME REPORTING IN THE
SOUTH ABOUT A RURAL SCHOOL IN MISSISSIPPI WHERE THE GEOMETRY
TEACHER IS A RECORDING AND STUDENTS ARE TEACHING
THEMSELVES. UNDERSTANDING THERE IS NO EASY
SOLUTION, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THAT?
>> IS A WE ARE TRYING TO DO. WE'RE TRYING TO GET 250,000 MORE
ADULTS IN SCHOOLS AS MENTORS, TUTORS, SUCCESS COACHES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PLACES LIKE COLLEGE WORK-STUDY STUDENTS,
FOLKS THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING FOR BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS.
EVEN CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS TO CREATE THIS ARMY OF ADULTS THAT
CAN HELP. >> BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
FUNDING HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT TO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
FUNDING IS NO GUARANTEE. HOW SHOULD ADMINISTRATORS THINK
ABOUT PAIRING THE MONEY WITH EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS?
>> THERE'S BEEN CRITICISM THEY HAVE NOT SPENT FAST ENOUGH, IN
SOME WAYS THAT'S OK. TO DO THIS WELL TAKES A LOT OF
PREPARATION. YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY AND
PEOPLE, TIME AND SPACE, AND CONVINCE KIDS AND STUDENTS THEY
SHOULD ENGAGE IN IT. REMEMBER THAT STUDENTS DO NOT
WALK AROUND SAYING I HAVE LEARNING LOSS.
THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE. WE'RE ARE STARTING TO TURN THE
CORNER. I AM OPTIMISTIC.
>> THAT WAS MY LAST QUESTION. CAN THIS BE RECOVERED?
IT SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER IS YES. >> ONE, KIDS ARE RESILIENT.
TWO, WE HAVE EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES, AND SCHOOLS HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND THEY ARE READY TO DO IT.
IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, WE WILL SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
REPORTER: GREAT TO SPEAK WITH YOU.