August 2005. Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. I lived about 2 1/2 hours from the coast and the destruction was felt even there. I participated in providing disaster relief to those on the coast--organizing and delivering food, cleaning supplies, clothing, and water--basic critical needs. I spent weekends volunteering to help individuals sort through what remained of their lifetime and cleaning out spaces that used to be called home...places of comfort, warmth, and joyous times. The Gulf Coast was forever changed by this storm. Even now, 17 years later, evidence of destruction remains. Lone foundations; empty lots; missing iconic businesses---all reminders of what used to be and what is now; reminders that recovery is slow.
Education was hit with its own hurricane in 2020. The recently released Nation's Report Card verified what teachers and educators have known--the pandemic caused significant learning declines. Another analysis of testing data by NWEA(1) indicates the rebound from learning loss is likely five or more years away. This hurricane though seems to have spun off some lingering storms that have always been brewing but appear to be gaining strength and the aftermath of their impact is frightening.
Beyond just learning loss for our children--which the impact will be felt for decades--education is facing a critical shortage of teachers and administrators. Retirement parties for teachers were often celebrated for service of 25 or 30 years or more. Now, schools are just happy when they can retain a first-year teacher. A survey in 2021 by EdWeek (2) showed that 33% of teachers were very likely to leave the profession.
How are schools going to recover? How do systems even plan to address learning gaps while also not having the staff to implement any plans? How can systems recruit teachers in a time where the incentives to work in education are few and far between?
Now is the time for systemic change. Now is the time to re-envision what education is, what it means, and how school is done. Now is the time to embrace the changes (and demands) thrust upon education--technology advancements, different needs from the workforce, work-life balance, and mental well-being--to create a better system, a more relevant experience, and outcomes that meet the needs of the learner and help create pathways to a fulfilling and productive life.
The difference in these cases is that Hurricane Katrina wiped out the infrastructure and forced modernization and updates. The education disaster has been a slow-moving storm front that has allowed the archaic institution to remain and change has not been forced. What else will it take for us to be bold, to make real changes, to modernize, and to re-establish education as a valuable pathway? How much more devastation must be evidenced before we prioritize the basic, critical needs of our nation?
1. https://www.k12dive.com/news/Academic-rebound-years-away/638043/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-12-08%20K-12%20Dive%20%5Bissue:46565%5D&utm_term=K-12%20Dive
2. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/why-teachers-leave-or-dont-a-look-at-the-numbers/2021/05
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