NASHVILLE – Tennessee students who were already struggling in school are taking a major hit in terms of learning loss this fall with a traditional “summer slide” becoming a much steeper “COVID slide,” Gov. Bill Lee and state Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn warned this week.
Saying an “alarm has been sounded,” Lee said preliminary data on the impact of the extended closure of schools from March into early August project an estimated 50% plummet in proficiency rates in third-grade reading and a whopping 65% drop in math proficiency.
The Republican governor said data trends indicate “real challenges that have been experienced by students at all levels, learning loss especially in the areas of reading and mathematics.”
Lee said it underscores the administration’s view of just “how important it is for our kids to get back in the classroom, and that’s why we’ve put such a strong effort in making sure our kids do return back to classrooms for in-person learning.”
He added: “I am particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact that this learning loss has on minority and low-income students.”