75% of Maryland 8th grade students and 69 percent of 4th grade students are at or below

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

We saved the lives of the parents who were the breadwinners for the family. So the kids were helped because they did not become orphans.

It's 2022, can we face reality?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

Agree with the second poster. Some people cannot face what a wrong headed decision this was. Private schools were open. Public schools in red-leaning areas were open. Schools in other countries were open. C'mon, it's 2022, we can open our eyes and admit that we absolutely failed the kids.

The data indicates this had no bearing on the outcome. In fact, schools that were open had the same losses.

Talk to any teacher and ask whether s/he thinks there are missing foundational elements in students today versus the students in October 2019.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These numbers are from that test the state just made up a year or two ago. I would take it that seriously. If they were using a national test like the PARC it would be different. Using one or two years of data for a test that has no credibility it's just meaningless.

I think they actually still used the PARCC in 2019 and the new test was only given twice since the pandemic so there's really nothing to compare it against, but as a PP stated it helps sell the false narrative.

A lot of people are heavily vested in this false narrative. I think they're still bitter about losing their free daycare, but the facts don't support it. Schools that opened early or stayed open had similar losses to those that were closed. Turns out the pandemic was more the issue and virtual was not.

[Anonymous]

MOCo is a sanctuary and very diversified county.

They really need to break it down by race, SES and geographical area to figure out where we need to put in the funds and extra support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

We saved the lives of the parents who were the breadwinners for the family. So the kids were helped because they did not become orphans.

This is false. There is ZERO evidence that school closures protected poor families - particularly since they had to go to work most likely anyway.

Also, why would reopening schools have only risked the lives of poor families? I'm unfamiliar with the studies showing that income level makes one completely immune to COVID.

-- high risk individual whose kids went to school in-person before vaccines

[Anonymous]

For some reason asian kids did fine during the pandemic. Their scores, including SAT scores, just keep going up. Why is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

Agree with the second poster. Some people cannot face what a wrong headed decision this was. Private schools were open. Public schools in red-leaning areas were open. Schools in other countries were open. C'mon, it's 2022, we can open our eyes and admit that we absolutely failed the kids.

The data indicates this had no bearing on the outcome. In fact, schools that were open had the same losses.

Talk to any teacher and ask whether s/he thinks there are missing foundational elements in students today versus the students in October 2019.

As a teacher, I have to disagree. Kids that were interested in learning did fine. Those who were not didn't. This is the same whether school is virtual or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For some reason asian kids did fine during the pandemic. Their scores, including SAT scores, just keep going up. Why is that?

Because the narrative blaming their children's academic failings on the pandemic is false. Kids who wanted to do well did. Those who didn't care goofed off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

What a joke.

Relocated to a southern state. Schools were open. Kids excelled.

Turns out that was a waste of time and money.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/10/24/pandemic-learning-loss-naep-tests/

Thanks for posting a credible source instead of that fake PR piece the other poster is pushing.

“We kept schools open in 2020, and today’s NAEP results once again prove we made the right decision,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said on Twitter.

But the data did not establish a connection between back-to-school policies and academic performance. In California, for instance, many public schools were closed well into the 2020-21 school year, and some students never saw a classroom that year. But the declines were similar to those in Texas and Florida, where schools were ordered to reopen much sooner

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/10/24/pandemic-learning-loss-naep-tests/

yep!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

Agree with the second poster. Some people cannot face what a wrong headed decision this was. Private schools were open. Public schools in red-leaning areas were open. Schools in other countries were open. C'mon, it's 2022, we can open our eyes and admit that we absolutely failed the kids.

The data indicates this had no bearing on the outcome. In fact, schools that were open had the same losses.

Talk to any teacher and ask whether s/he thinks there are missing foundational elements in students today versus the students in October 2019.

As a teacher, I have to disagree. Kids that were interested in learning did fine. Those who were not didn't. This is the same whether school is virtual or not.

Define "did fine." If you mean got good grades in school during remote learning, you might be right. If you mean emerging from remote learning with an adequate and appropriate level of academic achievement socially and emotionally ready to resume normal in-person learning, then I don't think you know what you are talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

No. Actually, it’s possible we lost more kids due to school buildings being shut down from the pandemic. There has been a huge increase in mental health issues and suicides amongst kids since Covid began.

Zero kids age 0-17 have died of Covid in Montgomery County as a result of Covid. ZERO. That was with schools open/schools closed, prior to the Covid shot/after the Covid shot.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/case-counts.html#deaths-age

We did not ‘save kids’ lives’ by keeping schools closed. Not at all.

Agree with the second poster. Some people cannot face what a wrong headed decision this was. Private schools were open. Public schools in red-leaning areas were open. Schools in other countries were open. C'mon, it's 2022, we can open our eyes and admit that we absolutely failed the kids.

The data indicates this had no bearing on the outcome. In fact, schools that were open had the same losses.

Talk to any teacher and ask whether s/he thinks there are missing foundational elements in students today versus the students in October 2019.

As a teacher, I have to disagree. Kids that were interested in learning did fine. Those who were not didn't. This is the same whether school is virtual or not.

What grade do you teach? Because I would be very upset if my kids' ES teachers had this attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

What a joke.

The article in today's post shows learning loss was the same in southern states that reopened early so the whole virtual learning scapegoating is nonsense.

I find these articles lacking and I wonder why others aren't asking more questions. For example, southern states weren't the only ones that opened in fall 2020- plenty of blue state districts in the NE opened at least in hybrid style. I'd be curious how performance within a state- since the districts would presumably using the same state tests- varied based on whether the schools opened or remained virtual.

Also, whether staying virtual was the right decision should be based on more than drops in reading and math scores. But I'm not surprised that scores dropped even in areas that reopened in fall 2020. Spring 2020 was kind of a joke across the board and even where schools reopened, many families elected a virtual option or were subject to multiple 14 day quarantines. Some areas were more "normal", yes, but it still wasn't 2019-style normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

What a joke.

The article in today's post shows learning loss was the same in southern states that reopened early so the whole virtual learning scapegoating is nonsense.

I find these articles lacking and I wonder why others aren't asking more questions. For example, southern states weren't the only ones that opened in fall 2020- plenty of blue state districts in the NE opened at least in hybrid style. I'd be curious how performance within a state- since the districts would presumably using the same state tests- varied based on whether the schools opened or remained virtual.

Also, whether staying virtual was the right decision should be based on more than drops in reading and math scores. But I'm not surprised that scores dropped even in areas that reopened in fall 2020. Spring 2020 was kind of a joke across the board and even where schools reopened, many families elected a virtual option or were subject to multiple 14 day quarantines. Some areas were more "normal", yes, but it still wasn't 2019-style normal.

Yes, everyone seems to have forgotten that in almost all areas, very little happened in the spring of 2020. Continued closures, hybrid, and other pandemic-related issues compounded the problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For some reason Asian kids did fine during the pandemic. Their scores, including SAT scores, just keep going up. Why is that?

The article says that the downward trend was from 2013. Asian-Americans have already figured out that there are a lot of weaknesses in American education system and so they have been supplementing and teaching their kids at home.

Mostly the Asian-American parents (and specifically the moms) are very well-educated and can teach Math to their children so the children are coming out ahead in STEM. Culturally, there is a huge emphasis on education within families and the community as a whole. Finally, most Asian-Americans first gen were highly educated people from their countries who came to the US. They are not the poorest of the poor, uneducated migrants.

The weaknesses in American education system that most Asians notice and try to overcome are -
1) Shortened school year
2) Lack of textbooks
3) Lack of final exams
4) Lack of discipline in classrooms. Disruptive students are tolerated. Parents are not responsible.
5) Lack of a well defined curriculum, syllabus that is shared with students and parents. Textbooks and units of study that are mapped to the syllabus and curriculum.
6) Not failing any students in any grade and holding them back
7) Grade inflation. Students earn grades for doing homework.
8) Graded assignments and tests are not returned back to students and parents.
9) No comprehensive, standardized curriculum, syallabus, textbooks, testing and school year nationally for all grades and all subjects. Even SAT is going away.

What the US does extremely well -
1) Free education for everybody
2) Free transportation for coming and going to school
3) Free meals
4) Free school supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt that there is a loss of learning due to the pandemic and virtual learning. Im just curious as to what some of you would have done differently? I mean going virtual was the only option at a time. Our kids are alive. Not saying they didn’t pay a price, of course, but what’s here is here .

We did NOT have to go virtual in Fall of 2020. That decision was motivated by nothing but browbeating by the teacher's union. Virtual in Spring of 2020 was a no brainer. If you look at the ERB results (private school standardized testing, which is actually harder than public school standardized testing), there was no "COVID slump" when it came to results. They were also largely back in person in Fall of 2020 - that should tell you something. MCPS sold us short and these are the consequences.