Dallas ISD Students Struggling During Pandemic; District Calls Reading And Math Test Results 'Atrocious'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - While the coronavirus continues to infect North Texans, Dallas ISD believes the pandemic is "negatively affecting" academic growth for its students.
The school district says more students are falling behind.
Students took a test in September to measure academic progress and show specifically how much reading and math was retained from last year.
Dallas ISD defined the results as "atrocious."
For example, last year, 40% of third graders passed their math test.
Six months after the beginning of this school year, where students learned from home due to schools shut down, only 13% of those students passed the same test.
In virtually every grade, the measure of academic progress has dropped and the school district says online learning and high absenteeism is hurting students' achievement rates.
"Up to half of our students are at a worse position for math and 30% are at a worse position in reading," said Derek Little with Dallas ISD Academic Affairs. "COVID was an impact like we've never seen. It closed schools. It's still disrupting the school environment today."
Little points out this is a national problem.
Dallas ISD says the solution may be extending the school year.
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