Children Coping with Coronavirus: The Effects of COVID-19 on New York’s Education System
Kenan Kapetanovic, Investigative Journalist
October 29, 2020
At the beginning of March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced itself to the East Coast of the U.S. in Southern Westchester, which is 30 minutes north of New York City. This area of the state was deemed the epicenter of the virus in the U.S. during the initial weeks of the statewide lockdown. With decisive action, roughly 1.1 million students in New York City alone were promptly sent home from school with no return date in sight. This presented a tremendous issue for school administrations and teachers across the region: how will teachers be able to provide an adequate education while their students aren’t physically in school? To further explore this issue, I spoke with Nyack Middle School Vice Principal, Mr. Thomas Di Leo, to gain further insight into how this area of the city has been tackling schooling amid COVID-19.
During my conversation with Di Leo, he stressed the fact that the transition to this new system of teaching was “very, very quick” with “little to no transition for teachers''. Teaching staff faced huge challenges by having to learn the ‘ins and outs’ of multiple online platforms as quickly as possible. A few examples of these necessary platforms and applications are Google Classroom, Remind, and most importantly, Zoom. However, to be able to participate in remote learning, students also need access to the appropriate technology to be able to virtually attend classes and complete assignments. Unfortunately, not every student has this personal access. What needed to be done in Nyack, as well as multiple places across the country, was to get devices into students' hands, especially in communities of varying socioeconomic statuses. “The situation called for equity”, Di Leo emphasized. In response to the situation, thousands of laptops were distributed among school districts across the state.
Although these electronic resources were distributed, remote learning remained problematic for many students. As many know from experience, remote learning requires consistent computer work for hours on end, with prolonged focus on that screen. Many students struggled to access Wi-Fi, a quiet space to complete work, and a safe environment to study. It is also difficult for many students to remain wholly engaged with a teacher for such long hours every day. These were many of the unforeseen problems with remote learning and many were in need of another option.
After the conclusion of the school year, schools had to begin to prepare for an attempt to allow students to re-enter the classroom in some form of in-person classes. By the middle of June, the number of new cases in New York had dropped to around 700 new cases a day and a statewide 2% infection rate. With infection rates significantly lower, this was the opportunity for the implementation of a hybrid system of learning.
The hybrid system consists of a mix between online and in-person classes. Hybrid systems differed between school districts; for example, one district might have virtual classes one week and in-person classes the next week, while another district might alternate during a one-week period. Parents also had the option to keep their children home and not send them to their hybrid classes, which provided consideration for families who live with an immunocompromised individual or if they simply were not comfortable sending their children. From the 1.1 million students in New York City who were sent home in March, roughly half decided to stay home and continue remote learning.
In the Nyack Public School district, the administration adapted an alternating hybrid system where students are broken up into red and blue groups who alternate every other day between remote learning and in-person classes. Classes have a maximum of 15 students; all students are distanced and must be wearing a mask. In a survey that was conducted with a small sample size, students had the same feelings between the choice of remote and hybrid learning. Students characterized remote learning as “difficult” and overwhelmingly preferred the hybrid system. This shows the tremendous effort from teachers to bring students a slice of what school once was. The hybrid system also helped to bridge the educational gap that could have been widening due to the differing feelings of remote learning and how effective it was for every student. The hybrid system allows teachers to see how a student is performing up close and in person, which was incredibly difficult during remote learning. If a student may be falling behind, teachers can do what they do best, and provide the necessary support for student success.
“So far, the hybrid system is putting teachers and students in a much better place than March,” Di Leo praised. Teachers deserve enormous credit for the quick turnaround in instruction, and although the remote learning system was far from perfect, it filled the educational abyss created by COVID-19. “Even though the situation is calmer, this cannot be permanent.” Di Leo warned. Although the system is functioning, hybrid learning is very delicate.
The hybrid system is a band-aid on a cut that refuses to heal. In a state that has lost roughly 24,000 people to COVID-19, students and parents are yearning for a return to normalcy. As Di Leo stated, the hybrid system is a temporary measure - not a permanent fix. Students deserve the right to an accessible and consistent education; our world must assume proper responsibility to restore the status quo.