Pandemic Leads To Learning Loss For Metro Students, Study Finds

Grace Walker • Aug 4, 2020

Metro Atlanta schools had little notice before switching to online learning during the last school year.

Credit Bita Honarvar / WABE

Typically around this time of year, students, parents and teachers prepare for “back to school.”

But this year isn’t the same.

Many school systems across metro Atlanta have moved to push back the start of their school year — or return virtually. This comes after metro students lost nine weeks of regular instruction in the 2019-2020 academic year.

And many have expressed concerns about the long-term effects this could have on students.

Now, a new study sheds light, specifically, on COVID-19’s impact on student achievement in the metro Atlanta area.

According to the report, of 594,000 students, now, about 21,000 fewer students are on track for grade-level English. In math, 29,000 fewer students are on grade-level proficiency than prior to COVID-19.

On Tuesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Ed Chang, founding executive director of redefinED Atlanta, and Ken Zeff, executive director of Learn4Life, joined host Rose Scott to discuss which students are most affected and how future learning loss can be prevented.

Guests:

To hear the full conversation, click on the audio player above.