The impact the COVID pandemic had on K-12 students is becoming more clear. As research results quantify the scope and magnitude of Learning Loss, the statistics tell a dire story.
In The State of the American Student report for fall 2023, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) aggregated data from sources including the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), American College Testing (ACT), and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Regardless of the source, the research data follows a consistent theme: the academic performance of K-12 students has declined, in some cases to levels not seen in two or more decades.
Among the findings of the report are these sobering statistics:
- In 2022, the average 4th-grade math score decreased by 5 points from 2019, putting it back at the 1990 level
- The average 8th-grade math score in 2022 decreased by 8 points from 2019, the lowest it’s been in 19 years
- Declines were found among all students, but they’re greatest for black and brown students
- The average ACT score of 19.8 for the Class of 2022 is the lowest it’s been since 1991
- At the start of the 2022-23 school year, public schools reported that 50% of their students were behind grade level
The CRPE emphasizes focusing on high schoolers, as they have had the least amount of time to recover. Many groups also stress the importance of addressing systemic inequalities as part of addressing learning loss. All of these issues are real and underscore the urgent need to prioritize learning recovery across the K-12 student landscape.
“Too many students, especially those from historically and systemically marginalized communities, are likely leaving the K-12 system without the skills, knowledge, and habits they need to thrive in college, careers, and life.”
Source: The State of the American Student: Fall 2023, Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)
Absenteeism, Behavioral Challenges, and Mental Health Concerns Compound Learning Recovery Challenges
Learning loss is far from the only issue district and school leaders must contend with. Many factors are working against their ability to tackle learning loss effectively. In addition to facing a shortage of permanent and substitute teachers, they’re also challenged by chronic absenteeism, an increase in student misconduct, and the delicate state of student mental health overall.
Schools across America, regardless of demographics, consistently report increases in chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing more than 10% of days (typically more than 15) in a school year. The most recent NAEP long-term trend data reveals that 10% of 13-year-old students missed school for five or more days in a single month in 2023 – double what it was in 2020. Absenteeism isn’t limited to students either; the number of teachers missing school is also on the rise.
Behavioral problems and mental health issues have increased as well. At the end of the 2021-22 school year, more than 80% of public schools said their students’ social-emotional development was hindered by the pandemic, with more than half reporting increases in classroom disruptions as a result of student misconduct.
Almost the same number of schools (76%) say that staff members have expressed increased concerns about student depression and anxiety. Roughly 50% of schools aren’t confident they can support their students’ growing mental health needs, citing insufficient human and budgetary resources as the top limiting factors.
All of these elements must be considered when evaluating how to address learning loss. If students aren’t present for instruction, their academic performance will not improve. Similarly, if students’ mental health is compromised, their availability to learn is, too.
Learning Recovery Requires More than Academic Support
Typical approaches to learning loss focus on the mechanics of getting students up to standard and expected levels. Teaching practices like “high-dosage” or intensive tutoring and accelerated learning are being endorsed as proven methods for providing the instruction students need to recover.
Evidence supports the effectiveness of these academic-based approaches. There’s just one problem: they require sufficient staff and resources, two things most K-12 schools currently lack. Aside from their staffing requirements, academic approaches have often been reliant on ESSER funds, which will be drying up after 2024.
Furthermore, education experts acknowledge that academic approaches alone aren’t enough. Beyond learning loss, students are also experiencing what a cross-functional group of researchers have called a social, emotional, and academic “thriving gap.”
“We must recognize that our nation’s students are not just lagging as performers, they are suffering as people. Meeting their intrinsic psychological needs—for social connection, for positive emotion, and authentic intellectual engagement—is a challenge that cannot wait.”
Dr. Angela Duckwork, Professor, University of Pennsylvania / Founder and CEO, Character Lab
To close this gap, schools must address the needs of the whole student. A Curriculum Associates study of more than 300 schools whose previously-below-grade-level students exceeded expectations identified six practices that were most effective in supporting students:
- Cultivating educator mindsets that support student success
- Creating a culture of data
- Meeting the needs of the whole child
- Creating an engaging and inspirational school environment
- Enhancing teacher practice with resources and support
- Strengthening connections and engagement with families
The Learning Policy Institute echoes the importance of taking a holistic approach and provides guidance to help educators create learning environments that support whole-child development and learning.
To Support Recovery from Learning Loss, Students’ Basic Safety and Wellness Needs Must Be Met First
The need to address learning loss is of critical importance. If learning recovery isn’t prioritized, today’s students are at risk of leaving the K-12 education system without the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Addressing learning loss is challenging schools to rethink how they approach teaching and learning. Practices like accelerated learning and intensive tutoring can address students’ academic shortfalls, but for students to benefit from these practices, their needs for physical and emotional safety and wellbeing must first be met.
“The biggest mistake schools could make now is to focus narrowly and exclusively on academic achievement. They must acknowledge the tremendous social, psychological and emotional challenges that many students and staff experienced, and they must devise strategies to address all of these.”
Dr. Pedro A. Noguera, Dean, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California
Many educators already understand the need to master “Maslow before Bloom,” which acknowledges that basic needs must be addressed before students can be expected to engage in learning.
Securly, as a K-12 student safety and wellness technology company, gives schools the tools to keep their students safe and well so they can be ready to learn — all without needing to hire additional staff or teachers.
Securly is helping district leaders and school-based teams to:
- Collect and use data to identify student needs
- Create school cultures centered on wellness
- Teach students essential social-emotional and life skills
- Know which students are in crisis and need help now
Read the case study to learn how Uplift Education, a 45-school public charter school district, is prioritizing student health and wellness, improving student-teacher relationships, and making meaningful culture and climate improvements.
To learn more about Securly, visit www.securly.com.
The post How K-12 Schools Can Address Learning Loss by Prioritizing Students’ Safety & Wellness first appeared on Blog.
The post How K-12 Schools Can Address Learning Loss by Prioritizing Students’ Safety & Wellness appeared first on Blog.
