news
blogs

Inequality Gap Among Atlanta Students May Grow Due To COVID-19 Pandemic, Experts Say

Educational experts in metro Atlanta are concerned about the long-term effects the extended absence from classrooms will have on students.

The Atlanta Public School system opted to start digitally on Monday for the first nine weeks of the school year due to safety concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, meaning more than seven months will have passed by the time students return to classrooms this October.

That long of a break, educational experts told GPB News, may further exacerbate the inequality gap between Black and Latino students and their white peers. The experts said they understand the need for safety precautions for students, teachers and staff, but they said the impact of being away is of extreme concern.

“The longer it goes, the less you will remember,” said Ed Chang, the executive director of redefinED atlanta, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of all students through high-quality education.

Pandemic Leads To Learning Loss For Metro Students, Study Finds

Typically around this time of year, students, parents and teachers prepare for “back to school.”

But this year isn’t the same.

Many school systems across metro Atlanta have moved to push back the start of their school year — or return virtually. This comes after metro students lost nine weeks of regular instruction in the 2019-2020 academic year.

And many have expressed concerns about the long-term effects this could have on students.

Now, a new study sheds light, specifically, on COVID-19’s impact on student achievement in the metro Atlanta area.