Thread by @EthnicMediaSvc

The #Covid pandemic has deepened education divides for children. Millions have fallen behind in reading and math levels. In under 30 mins we'll be discussing strategies to bridge the learning gap with @louisfr, @Hayin & @arosesocol Follow via FB Live: fb.me/e/1KynGrBuW

Welcome to today's briefing, "Kids and Learning Loss: How Do We Catch Up?" You can follow the convo here @EthnicMediaSvc and via FB Live fb.me/e/1KynGrBuW

"We are looking to reframe the narrative, from what students have lost to what they can gain," says EMS ED Sandy Close. "It's easy to cover learning loss, but the challenge for reporters is to find what could be working."

Our first speaker is @louisfr, former director of @EdSource, who will talk about performance based learning and what might inspire students as they return to school.

"It's been such a difficult couple of years that sometimes it's hard to stay focused on the positives to come out of the pandemic," says @louisfr, one of which is to underscore the "importance of schools."

Another thing that happened is that there is now more money for schools and programs that can assist schools and parents.

And finally, something that cross cut Dems and Republicans, is that school matters for learning, as well and physical and mental health. "I had never heard these arguments across the board like this."

But as students have come back, the focus has shifted to learning loss & poor performance. Many students, especially those who struggled before the pandemic, are doing worse now.

But the key now is to focus on what can be done to engage students now that they are back. "This would be a tremendously lost opportunity..." says @louisfr. "How do we seize on this moment now that kids want to be back?"

We know there are too many kids who are not succeeding and are disengaged... we need to find new ways, and there are proven strategies to engage students now being done across the country.

The most important goal is to "get kids excited about being in school." For too long the focus has been on testing, and assessments. "That doesn't work for most people."

Doing things for "intrinsic motivation" -- because you want to -- needs to be the main thing driving how we teach kids.

Project based learning: @GeorgeLucasILM started @edutopia, which grounds education in real-world learning, allowing students to see their education in the context of daily life.

Go to the @BuckInstitute to see examples of this kind of learning, from 3rd graders building model homes to students in Flint, Michigan learning chemistry by trying to solve the water crisis there. "Students are engaged," says @louisfr

Linked Learning is another way to link students to career pathways, a "well thought out strategy" that ties courses to a professional path, including support services, counseling, etc.

Dual enrollment strategies link high schools and middle schools to community colleges, where students can take courses simultaneously. "It provides students with a sense of pride and a taste of the college culture."

"We have to bring arts and music programs back into schools. Unfortunately they have been eviscerated across the country."

A ballot in CA to invest $1 billion in arts and music. "I hope that passes," adds @louisfr

As far as SATs, they will sooner or later be optional or not required, explains @louisfr. "There are people who argue the SATs help students on the margins, but the consensus is these are keeping kids out of college more than they are helping."

What about rural areas where money is an issue when it comes to allocation of resources? "The avg amount going to CA students is $21k" compared to $8k 5 years prior, says @louisfr. The disparities that exist now have shrunk.

Our next speaker is @arosesocol of @EdTrust. What is "unfinished learning?" We hope this frame shifts the focus away from blaming students and puts the responsibility on systems.

In March 2020 @EdTrust realized the #pandemic was going to have a huge impact, especially for students of color. "We do know a lot about what works for accelerating learning and helping students catch up."

The most effective strategies fit in 3 buckets: targeted intensive tutoring, expanded learning time, and -- most important -- is strong relationships.

Targeting intensive tutoring: a "really impactful strategy when implemented well." One tutor working with a small group providing concrete, curriculum that helps students master the content.

Expanded learning time: If education leaders add time to the school day, we hope to see it in a small group with high quality curriculum where students can get the support they need.

Finally, strong relationships, ensuring students are engaged in school and making progress, that we know their social and emotional needs, all this requires strong relationships.

There are great examples of states and districts and schools implementing programs & strategies that align to the evidence and we are excited to see the impact for students.

$190 billion from the Fed's American Rescue Plan has been allocated to education. You can see a map at @EdTrust to learn how much your state is receiving.

"These strategies need to be part of a broader effort to make education more equitable and just," says @arosesocol. "This is about the whole picture of what it will take to create an equitable and just education system in this country."

Our final speaker is @Hayin, Managing Dir of the @CommSchoolsLX. The first question people have about community schools is, what is it?

Community schools do not refer to a program or a funding strategy. We are talking about a whole school improvement strategy, where communities and schools are working together to align resources behind improving student outcomes.

A community school strategy is not just about colocating services or providing wrap around programs, but recognizing many communities have natural assets and strong relationships that are often not part of the school fabric.

When we think about what happened at the start of the pandemic, we saw the chaos of #covid brought some clarity for folks who were really responding to the emergency of young people and their families.

How can we learn from this responses to change the way we have done things in the past? What is most essential to good teaching and learning?

Collaborative leadership and practice... strong communication and coordination with local agencies and orgs gave way to a new way of thinking about collaboration and partnership. "We were all trying to row in one direction."

When we are not in crisis, community schools are described by the programs, the things you might see that are different, like a medical clinic or family resource center. But the underlying pieces are what matter most

The relationships, the collaborative leadership, the student-led supports.

So why community schools now? This is a generations-old field. This is not just about learning recovery or a response to a pandemic. "It is an opportunity for transformation."

The work of community schools has been misunderstood because there has not been coherence and alignment at the field level. Most of us have been doing the work and not aligning.

Learn more about The Community Schools Task Force: brookings.edu/research/addre…

"What we are encouraging our state and our districts to do is not think about community schools as a separate funding stream but as a means and an opportunity for alignment and coherence and to supercharge existing efforts," says @Hayin

There are 315 community schools in New York with more than 100 in process. In Boston, the first Haitian Creole dual immersion school in the country is on track to open soon. In Kentucky, in Michigan, Oregon, Utah and elsewhere community schools are taking shape.

"All schools can be community schools. This is about reframing the central importance of students and relationships. Programs without these relationships will not get us to where we need to be," says @Hayin

"All students can learn, and with the right supports and strong relationships with adults, schools can address unfinished learning. The investment from the federal govt is an unprecedented opportunity to make this happen," says @arosesocol

"The key now for media is to be focusing on what schools need to be doing and can be doing, what are schools doing to strengthen relationships with families, and to elevate the people doing this work," says @louisfr

@louisfr Thanks to all our speakers and media partners for today's briefing. You can find our reporting on this and past briefings at ethnicmediaservices.org

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