When the “Iceberg Problem Really Hits Hard:” NOLA Educators Talk Policy, COVID & Learning Loss

Learning loss and unfinished learning are common issues in the middle school years. They are especially problematic in math where it is inherently cumulative—concepts and skills build upon one another as students advance through school.

And that was a big deal before COVID.

As documented in The Iceberg Problem, summative assessments and the connected federal accountability system push schools to focus narrowly on grade-level proficiency, which allows unfinished learning to accumulate. But the pandemic will almost certainly exacerbate unfinished learning and unaddressed learning losses—especially for underserved students.

So how are teachers and school leaders responding to these unprecedented challenges? How are they planning for their schools to reopen, and how can policymaking play a part in the process? To find out, we spoke to Jolene Galpin and Matt Driscoll, of Mildred Osborne Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana, a Teach to One partner school.

Read the full article from the Next Generation Learning Challenges blog.