Thread by @DanGordonDC

It's clear #coronavirus will exacerbate existing inequities in education. @kevincarey1 makes the case below. But the challenge is even greater than he states. This thread explains the (at least) 6 different barriers the pandemic is creating/making bigger:

https://twitter.com/kevincarey1/status/1242193046676082690?s=20

[First a note on terms. Kevin uses “pandemic learning loss.” Others talk about a “comeback gap.” I’ll focus less on what’s missing in the students and more on the add'l barriers our students least served by our system (“SLS”) are facing during and after the coronavirus crisis.]

As Kevin points out, distance learning requires tech, wifi, learning environment, etc. But income/wealth inequality (& racism, natch) deprive many SLS of that.

Barrier 1 = limited access to the tangible requirements for distance learning

He also highlights the huge challenge educators will have providing (through distance learning) the supports and scaffolds students with IEPs & students learning English need to access academic content.

Barrier 2 = lack of specialized supports to access the curriculum at home

When Tier 1 instruction isn’t enough, Tier 2 and even Tier 3 interventions help SLS w/building blocks & grade-level content. Will schools even be able to try Tier 2/3 now? And few evidence-based interventions were designed for this context.

Barrier 3 = absence of interventions

Many schools’ #1 priority is improving outcomes for SLS (ie "closing gaps" or doing >1 yr of learning each year). Now most schools will strive to get close to 1 yr of learning & lack time/resources/capacity to do more.

Barrier 4 = lost opportunity to accelerate learning

We’ve closed schools that provide meals & support services to SLS who experience food insecurity & other trauma. Districts are doing their best to mitigate but the level/quality of supports will go down just when the need is greatest.

Barrier 5 = more hunger & less SEL support

B/c we insist on pairing inequality w/a grossly insufficient safety net, the pandemic will hit SLS the hardest:
⬆️living w/unemployed adults
⬆️living in poverty
⬆️homeless
⬆️orphaned & in foster care
⬆️suffering medically
&&&&

Barrier 6 = more adverse childhood experiences

[Alert: I'm about to step away from the whiteboard and step up on a soapbox]

There are other barriers for sure. Some will be more narrow, some will be near universal, and some we cannot even imagine yet. My goal isn’t to spell them all out here but to ring the bell (loudly) on just how horrible this crisis will be for our most vulnerable students.

[That said...it would be *great* to be more comprehensive in unpacking the equity challenges. I hope others will share all the barriers I missed.]

Policymakers, practitioners, and communities can only remove the barriers they (are willing to) see. So step 1 is really acknowledging the situation. But then it's "so what, now what?" There are no silver bullets, and tbh lunch-to-go and a laptop don't a plan make.

We need comprehensive short- and long-term plans (and the $ to execute on them) to remove each of these barriers.

We need to listen to SLS and their families (& their teachers) about their needs and the barriers they face.

We need state/local leaders to use new $ and flex from DC thoughtfully & equitably.

We need to (re)design antiracist school systems.

We need all of this & more.

+meanwhile we must help SLS climb over, around, or through the many, many barriers we’ve put in their way.

/end

What'd I miss?

@kevincarey1 @chiefsforchange @AspenEdSociety @EdTrust @dropoutnation @ConorPWilliams @paigekowalski @DGonzalesEDU @JoshuaPStarr @brianjpick @cara__jackson @drmonie @jessgartner @horacemanifesto @myeager4 @MStone_NOLA @beccabk @ericlerum @rachaelbrown

Re Barrier 1, check out these #PairedTexts about how students are experiencing distance learning:

1) NYT on students in homeless shelters: nyti.ms/3bzquRZ

2) Teaser for morning show segment 👇