The COVID-19 pandemic, has exposed the education system and all of its strengths and weakness. Of all the entities affected by the shelter-in-place order, arguably the most fragile of these is our public schools. School is where children are socialized and learn to become active, engaged, critical-thinking citizens. Yet, with schools closed, and the shift to online learning, engaging students is more difficult than ever. That is, for some schools.
While most districts, schools and administrators are focused on enrollment and average daily attendance (ADA), some schools are focused on really serving the needs of its students. With ever increasing demands on teachers to ensure student learning, and to serve all students by providing FAPE, a free appropriate public education, the cost to educate students continues to rise. Thus, the focus of most schools becomes a rush to enroll and place as many kids into schools and classrooms as physically possible. While high enrollment numbers ensure greater funding from the state and stronger financials, left to chance is the quality of students’ educational experience.
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