“Student learning was deeply affected by the sudden interruption in classroom learning due to the closure of schools since the COVID outbreak in March 2020 through the 2021-22 school year. As the pandemic deepened, it became evident that low income and minority families were the most vulnerable groups and the pandemic had widened the existing educational inequities and exacerbated the learning gaps and social-emotional needs of staff, students and families. While communication between families and schools did increase during the pandemic and many schools provided resources to address the emerging learning and social- emotional needs of students, family engagement has yet to be fully implemented and school practices need to be re-examined using an equity lens with a focus on closing the student learning gaps."
- Margarita Zaske, TIDES Research Director