LASS clears the air regarding the impact on student learning due to the school closures

There is no question the loss of face-to-face learning these last several weeks is a concern among parents and school districts throughout the state. It has been a topic of discussion among superintendents as well. What does that mean for students when the 2020-21 academic year begins? 

In a concerted effort, the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, has published this open letter to the citizens of our state.  

Local superintendents across the state have dedicated their professional lives to the education of Louisiana’s public school children. As such, they shoulder the responsibility of mitigating a variety of issues, events, and circumstances that may impact student learning. The educational impact of COVID-19 is unlike any other situation this nation has faced.  The magnitude of this pandemic and uncertainty that surrounds it has resulted in many misconceptions. There is no doubt that the loss of face-to-face instructional time for the last nine-weeks of school is a disadvantage to our most vulnerable students. However, the safety and well-being of our students and staff will always be our first priority.

When the 2020-2021 school year begins, like each new school year, we will evaluate our students to diagnose where they are academically and develop an instructional plan to address their needs. We will also seek ways to accelerate their learning to get them at their appropriate instructional level. That is what we do in education, we help students overcome obstacles to their learning so each of them can maximize their potential. In addition, parents are engaging with their children and accessing educational materials and resources provided to them by their school districts now more than ever.  Carrying that through the summer may ease the normal rate of regression for many students and serve as a paradigm for future summers.

LASS, its member superintendents, and the thousands of dedicated school system employees that we lead, want parents to know that their children are in the safe, dedicated hands of caring educators. This is a major task, but it is one that together we will overcome and have students right back to improving their academic achievement. We are here to help parents and their children navigate this unprecedented event.