‘Catastrophic’: YISD tries to navigate pandemic-related learning loss
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Many local school districts are nearing the end of a school year that's been marked by virtual learning, Covid-19 testing on campus and a loss of many student activities. One local superintendent says the pandemic has also led many students falling behind in school.
"I think we all as a community have a better appreciation for what our traditional public school system looked like before the pandemic," said Ysleta Independent School District Superintendent Xavier De La Torre. "I think that appreciation is going to go a long way in the future to recovering from this catastrophic period in the history of the American school system."
De La Torre said some students have fallen behind in some subjects by as many as 18 months. He said districts will now tackle the need to recover lost learning while still advancing through new material next year.
"You can't simply focus on recovering what they've lost because time marches on, and they're also expected to learn in the presence," he said. "Now it's time to try and not just recover all of the learning that's been lost, but accelerate the learning that they're expected to make in the years ahead of us."
De La Torre said YISD will likely open up extended learning opportunities for students who are falling behind either afterschool, on weekends or during the summer. He said the district is also hiring a significant amount of additional tutors too. De La Torre also encouraged parents to pay close attention to how their children are doing in school.
"I think parents more than ever are a critical partner in this endeavor," he said "It's never been more important than it is today to get involved in your child's education. And by that, I mean, becoming informed as to where the child is academically, insisting on being involved in helping accelerate the learning."
De La Torre also encouraged parents to strongly consider getting their children vaccinated if they are eligible to do so. He said it could increase their safety on campus and increase their likelihood of returning to in-person learning.
