Losses in learning have been recorded among students participating in virtual learning according to an article published by the Dallas Morning News on November 5th. In it they say:

“The pandemic has caused deep, “horrifying” learning losses for Dallas children, and underscored the disparities among Black students, according to new DISD results. Half of all Dallas ISD students experienced learning loss in math during disruptions caused by COVID-19, and nearly a third slipped in reading, according to the district’s analysis of start-of-year assessments given to students in September and October.”

             In response to this, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees has voted to lower this year’s student achievement targets according to a different Dalla Morning News article published on November 20th. In it they say:

“The Dallas ISD board of trustees voted to lower the district’s academic benchmarks this year in acknowledgement of the extent that the coronavirus pandemic has crippled schools.The trustees spent nearly two hours Thursday night grappling with how to hold district officials accountable for improving student achievement, while being realistic about how much kids should be expected to learn in a year filled with so much disruption.”

          In light of extraordinary circumstances affecting student learning, lowering this year’s academic benchmarks seems like the right call to make.