What Covid-19 Has Done To The Futures Of Students Everywhere
What Covid-19 Has Done To The Futures Of Students Everywhere
by Isabelle Castaneda
Some people have yet to understand just how damaging Covid-19 was to students' futures, and what long lasting issues they will be faced with in their forthcoming school years or work life. It’s been a challenging few years for everyone, but especially for students. They were forced to make unusual and uncomfortable changes to their learning process. It was a particularly hard adjustment for students who rely on active learning, and 1-one-1 guidance. Take a look at some of the effects of the pandemic.
Student health
The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected students' learning but their mental and physical health, 35 percent of parents expressed their concern for how unwell their children seemed to be handling the drastic change; Black and Hispanic parents are seven to nine percent more likely than white parents to report higher levels of concern. Research shows that trauma and poor mental health can contribute to low attendance and the ability to do work that is assigned to them, which puts these students at an even bigger disadvantage. School was already a very big contributor to poor mental health in students, the pandemic just put it at an all time high.
Student health
The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected students' learning but their mental and physical health, 35 percent of parents expressed their concern for how unwell their children seemed to be handling the drastic change; Black and Hispanic parents are seven to nine percent more likely than white parents to report higher levels of concern. Research shows that trauma and poor mental health can contribute to low attendance and the ability to do work that is assigned to them, which puts these students at an even bigger disadvantage. School was already a very big contributor to poor mental health in students, the pandemic just put it at an all time high.
Absences in middle and high schoolers
The articles’ parent survey suggests that absences in 8th-12th graders has increased by 12 percent and 42 percent of the students who have just recently begun struggling with attendance are not attending school at all, and high schoolers are now more likely to drop out. Students are already reluctant to go to school, that paired with their parents or their own anxieties is making things immensely difficult for these children and teens. Dropout rates have shot from just under 1 percent to 35 percent. The damage done by the pandemic has taken great opportunities and experiences away from today’s youth.
Students left behind in academics
K-12 students on average were five months behind in mathematics, and four months behind in reading. Black and low income schools were left with six to seven months of unfinished school, and in testing they were about ten points behind in mathematics and nine points in reading; for Black and Hispanic students, the gap is even greater because of the already existing lack of proper educational resources. Students that were passed up to the next grades were not taught the major points in that grade that would help them to move forward in their education.
The effect on their future income
In another survey that was done for the article,17 percent of high school seniors who had wished to continue their education no longer will.The article's analysis shows that today’s students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetime as a result of the pandemic. In the beginning of the 2020-21 year 40 percent of the students were in districts that allowed in-person learning, by the end of the year 98 percent had access to it in one way or another. A recent report shows that more first and second graders ended this year two or more grade levels below the average.
The articles’ parent survey suggests that absences in 8th-12th graders has increased by 12 percent and 42 percent of the students who have just recently begun struggling with attendance are not attending school at all, and high schoolers are now more likely to drop out. Students are already reluctant to go to school, that paired with their parents or their own anxieties is making things immensely difficult for these children and teens. Dropout rates have shot from just under 1 percent to 35 percent. The damage done by the pandemic has taken great opportunities and experiences away from today’s youth.
Students left behind in academics
K-12 students on average were five months behind in mathematics, and four months behind in reading. Black and low income schools were left with six to seven months of unfinished school, and in testing they were about ten points behind in mathematics and nine points in reading; for Black and Hispanic students, the gap is even greater because of the already existing lack of proper educational resources. Students that were passed up to the next grades were not taught the major points in that grade that would help them to move forward in their education.
The effect on their future income
In another survey that was done for the article,17 percent of high school seniors who had wished to continue their education no longer will.The article's analysis shows that today’s students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetime as a result of the pandemic. In the beginning of the 2020-21 year 40 percent of the students were in districts that allowed in-person learning, by the end of the year 98 percent had access to it in one way or another. A recent report shows that more first and second graders ended this year two or more grade levels below the average.
Editors Note: This article was written by review and summary of "COVID-19 and education: The lingering effects of unfinished learning" by Mkinsey and Company - https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/covid-19-and-education-the-lingering-effects-of-unfinished-learning
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