Akron Kids Recover 70% of Test Scores in One Year

Looks like public schools know what they're doing. I know. Stunning.

To the surprise of no one who knows anything about public schools, their teachers, their parents or their kids, preliminary data shows that Akron Public Schools have successfully recovered about 70% of their kids’ lost learning from COVID…in one year.

Extraordinary, given the dire warnings we were all inundated with about how COVID would set our kids back a generation.

Turns out it will set them back just a few months. Because kids, teachers, schools and we are resilient.

To be clear, we still have a ways to go. But catching kids up by 70% in a year is remarkable and something for Akron Public Schools to celebrate.

And then get back to work.

There are lots of people to thank, especially congressional Democrats who voted for the American Rescue Plan, which provided the resources necessary to do what Akron just did. I’d thank Republicans too if any had actually voted for the thing.

But make no mistake, what Akron kids are accomplishing is due to them, their teachers’ and parents’ dedication to the hard work of making up for the COVID year(s). And what’s really encouraging is if Akron, given all of its inherent educational challenges and barriers (not to mention how standardized tests are biased against less wealthy students), is able to achieve this success, what is happening in other communities where the barriers aren’t nearly as tall?

My guess is they’re doing pretty well too, likely even better. But we’ll see. We won’t know everyone’s official results until next week, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

Just as an aside, anyone want to wager on how well charter schools and private schools will do?

If history is any guide, my guess is those results won’t be great.

But don’t worry. Even though charter schools actually spend more in the classroom than the average Ohio school district and also qualified for American Rescue Plan dollars, regardless of the degree of their failures, advocates will wail about how “underfunded” they are and need another $150 million in state aid to be diverted from the schools that are actually improving student outcomes.

Because money doesn’t matter in education, I guess. At least that’s what I’ve been told by the privatization movement’s research gurus for years.

So why would they insist on all this new money?

Because choice.

Or something.

But definitely not because success.