This fall hasn’t felt much like “back to school” for many children. Instead, many are staying at home and attending virtual classes indefinitely.
According to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a nonpartisan research center, about 25 percent of U.S. school districts started the year fully remote. This means that children will miss out on vital opportunities for educational, social, and emotional development. And, as is familiar during this pandemic, the impact will be unequal: Children in under-resourced districts are more likely to be remote learners. These children are hardest hit by school closures as they are more likely to lack access to necessary technologies and are less likely to receive parental help with their learning. They will also lose out on easy access to school meals.