NBC’S INVESTIGATIVE AND CONSUMER
CORRESPONDENT IS WITH US WITH
EXCLUSIVE DETAILS.
>> Reporter: FASCINATING.
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO
DATE.
A NATIONAL NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION COMPARED PRE-COVID
TEST SCORES WITH RECENT
ASSESSMENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SIMILAR TO STANDARDIZED TESTING
MEASURES STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE.
GOOD NEWS AND ALSO CONCERN
STUDENTS ARE SLIPPING.
THIRD GRADER LOLLY TAKING
CLASSES FROM HOME IN SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON.
LOLLY LOVED GYMNASTICS AND HER
MOM SAYS SHE WAS A SOCIAL
BUTTERFLY.
LOLLY MISSES REAL SCHOOL.
ESPECIALLY HER CLASSMATES.
>> I MISS HUGGING MY FRIENDS,
GIVING THEM FIST BUMP PS AND
HIGH FIVES.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS LOLLY
STRUGGLES WITH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF
ADHD ADDING THE PANDEMIC AND
THINGS ARE MORE CHALLENGING.
>> ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT HER
LEARNING PROCK AND WORRY SHE MAY
HAVE FALLEN BEHIND IN READING OR
MATH?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LIKE A LOT OF PARENTS AROUND THE
U.S., I’VE HEARD PARENTS SAYING
THEY’RE CALLING THIS YEAR A
WASH.
SO THAT’S INCREDIBLY SAD.
THERE’S A LOT OF CHILDREN THAT
ARE NOT ONLINE, THEY’RE NOT
ENGAGED IN ZOOM.
>> Reporter: NEW DATA OUT TODAY
FROM NWPA FOUND STUDENTS SCORED
IN THIRD TO EIGHTH GRADE SLIPPED
WHEN IT COMES TO MATH DOWN FIVE
TO TEN POINTS COMPARED TO THIS
TIME LAST YEAR.
>> DEFINITELY SEEING EVIDENCE
THAT STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED LESS
SINCE MARCH THAN STUDENTS
NORMALLY LEARN IN A NORMAL
SCHOOL YEAR.
>> Reporter: MEGAN IS THE SENIOR
RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT NWEA
KWHANCHTSNWEA.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE RESULTS.
>> MAKING SURE FOR THE STUDENTS
THAT HAVE FALLEN BEHIND WE
IDENTIFY THE SKILLS AND GIVE
STUDENTS THE SUPPORT NEEDED IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> Reporter: LOLLY IS ONE OF ARE
THOSE STUDENTS AND NEEDS TO BE
IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> BEGINNING LAST YEAR WHEN
SCHOOLS CLOSED, LOLLY WASN’T
ABLE TO DO IT AND TRIED HARD AS
SHE COULD, BUT IT WAS INCREDIBLY
FRUSTRATING FOR HER.
>> Reporter: COMPARED TO 2019,
THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN 2020,
ELEMENTARY GRADES, PARTICULARLY
STUDENTS TRANSITIONING FROM
FIFTH TO SIXTH GRADE.
LEAST AFFECTED, MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENTS IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH
GRADES, BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE,
STUDENTS SEEMED TO BE DOING WELL
IN READING.
SOME EVEN SHOWING GAINS IN THEIR
ABILITY.
>> READING SEEMS VERY PROMISING,
ON PAR WITH A NORMAL SCHOOL
YEAR.
>> Reporter: WE TALKED TO FOURTH
GRADERS IN BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NEW
JERSEY, WHO SAY THEY ALSO MISS
BEING IN CLASS FULL-TIME.
>> WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S EASIER
TO LEARN IN SCHOOL VERSUS AT
HOME?
>> BECAUSE WHEN YOU’RE IN SCHOOL
YOU, LIKE, THE TEACHER CAN HELP
YOU EASIER.
BECAUSE IT’S, YOU’RE AT HOME,
THEY CAN’T SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING
IF YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG.
>> THE TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM,
BECAUSE, LIKE, YOU DON’T GET
DISTRACTED.
>> Reporter: YOUR WORRIES AS A
PARENT?
>> ACADEMICALLY, WORRIED THAT,
WHAT ARE THEY MISSING?
BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH MORE
INDEPENDENT.
QUALITY OF LEARNING, IS IT THE
SAME?
>> Reporter: LOOKED AT TEST
SCORES MORE THAN 4 MILLION
STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS SAY DATA
IS MISSING FROM SCHOOLS NOT ABLE
TO TEST STUDENTS BECAUSE OF
COVID-19.
STUDENTS WHO DON’T HAVE WI-FI
UNABLE TO TEST REMOSTLY AND
VULNERABLE KIDS WHO AREN’T
ATTENDING SCHOOL AT ALL.
>> PAINTING A ROSIER PICTURE
THAN WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING FOR
THE STUDENTS IN THE BOTTOM HALF
FINANCIALLY.
>> MAY BE UNDERESTIMATING THE
IMPACT.
>> Reporter: FOR NOW, A QUICK
FIX FOR LOLLY AND MILLIONS LIKE
HER ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT
SAYING THAT MAY COME WITH
LONG-TERM EFFECTS.
LEARNING LOSS FOR STUDENTS WHO
AREN’T THRIVING OUTSIDE THE
CLASSROOM.
>> WE NEED TO GET CREATIVE WITH
SOLUTIONS.
THERE HAS TO BE AN ANSWER,
BECAUSE JUST CALLING IT A WASH
FOR A FULL YEAR OF LEARNING FOR
THOSE CHILDREN IS JUST
COMPLETELY NOT ACCEPTABLE.
>> AND SHE IS RIGHT.
THIS STUDY FOCUSED ON ACADEMICS,
EXPERTS SAY IT’S REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO PAY
ATTENTION TO STUDENTS’ MENTAL
HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AS
WELL.
>> SO MANY PARENTS WILL CONNECT
WITH THIS.
THEY HAVE THESE WORRIES.
IF YOUR CHILD IS FALLING BEHIND,
YOU FEEL THEY’RE FALLING BEHIND,
IF YOU CAN AFFORD A TUTOR, IS IN
A GOOD OPTION?
>> DEFINITELY A GOOD IDEA.
BEFORE HIRING A TUTOR ASK YOUR
TEACHER IF THEY’RE WILLING TO
GIVE EXTRA ONE-ON-ONE TIME OR
EXTRA ASSIGNMENTS.
IF THAT’S NOT AN OPTION, USE
SOCIAL NETWORK TO FIND A TUTOR
IN YOUR AREA.
CHECK CREDENTIALS AND ASK FOR
PROOF OF THEIR CERTIFICATION AND
CALL THEIR REFERENCES.
>> SAVANNAH POINTED OUT, TUTORS
CAN BE PRICEY.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE CASH FOR A
TUTOR AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
CASH-STRAPPED NOW, WHAT CAN YOU
DO?
>> DON’T FORGET YOUR LOCAL
PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
A LOT OFFER ONLINE TUTORING EVEN
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND LOOK
INTO NONPROFITS LIKE THE YMCA
AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
ACADEMIES OFFER FREE LESSONS AND
VIDEOS ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS
FOR ALL LEVELS AND TELETUTORING.
ALSO TRY A TEACHER IN TRAINING.
SAY YOU LIVE IN A COLLEGE OR A
UNIVERSITY TOWN.
CONTACT THE SCHOOL’S COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION
EDUCATION, GET PAIRED UP.
NOT SOLVE THE PROP OF IN-PERSON
BUT ONE-ON-ONE TIME IS