It's no surprise to anyone here that schools are generally in a damage control mode, attempting (hopefully) to minimize learning loss from pandemic-related disruptions. A question I've been expecting to hear from educators and public policymakers - but haven't yet - is why we believe learning loss to be inevitable, and over what period.
Many local school systems take direction from the state they are in and despite autonomy on paper, lack the actual system to look at thrivers vs strugglers. Some states have cancelled their testing --- nobody knows what's been lost or who has thrived. The consensus I've been hearing is that we can't know until everyone is back to "normal". Where tests can be given in more controlled circumstances. There's just too many unknowns. IMO public school is more about the system and meeting the needs of ALL, and less about looking at this one thriving here and that one failing there.
Locally, our public schools have done little to close the gap for families who do not have the luxuries ours enjoys. (We are in that rare minority who have actually flourished during the rotating lockdowns, largely because we had the means and opportunity to go our own way.) But what about those who cannot? I have heard no discussion about expanding public funding to extend the school year to retrench. Last summer saw no classes offered to students who were falling behind, and there is zero discussion of such a solution for 2021.
Then you have not been everywhere. I know of some school systems that have sent people into the homes daily to help children log on and participate in virtual education, who have had extra tutoring for an hour each morning built into the school day for those who are thought to be falling behind.
As far as summer programs, that's a tough one. In our system, it was offered, many parents declined, but some did accept the opportunity.
I do think that many of the efforts are not well publicized. During this time, rumors fly between parents and it works better to invite students that the teachers are concerned.
There has been a patchwork roll-out of virtual/B&M hybrid delivery models. After a year of pandemic restrictions, I find it challenging to believe that our collective education sector has not identified basic wins in delivery, and tried to more effectively mitigate downside risk for those in need. For example, in a fit of curiosity, I designed a full-semester curriculum for one subject for my DS and created a Google Classroom, complete with embedded lessons and meeting links, over the weekend. It took me 4 hours, starting flat-footed with no prior materials. It was dead easy and required minimal initiative.
I think what you're looking for has been happening in the private schools who were able to pivot quickly to virtual learning, and then plan and implement in person learning fairly efficiently. But public is a different story.
A huge bureaucracy with massive staffs and rules and regulations where the situation does not fit the system.
Teachers are struggling mightily. The amount of work put on them is extreme and they've been asked to pivot on a dime multiple times to implement plans that are not set up for success. So then they are asked to do something else. They are leaving the profession. We are down 30% in school based staff in our state an unable to hire even warm bodies. I think it is unlikely that anyone has the extra effort to look at designing new curriculum under these circumstances. The survival of public schooling is challenge enough.
