It's 'Alarming': Children Are Severely Behind in Reading

nytimes.com

9 points·LittleMoveBig··4 comments

> Children in every demographic group have been affected, but Black and Hispanic children, as well as those from low-income families, those with disabilities and those who are not fluent in English, have fallen the furthest behind.

The pandemic affected everybody almost equally by political jurisdiction so demographic stratification suggests there is more to blame in addition to the pandemic. Looking at young children in my area my first blame is convenient access to touchscreens.

Some parents are more educated and have more money to compensate for the shortfalls of remote learning.

> The pandemic affected everybody almost equally by political jurisdiction

If by "the pandemic" you are referring to things like the closures of schools and businesses, then this is certainly not the case.

There has been a massive surge in homeschooling since the pandemic as well, but it is mostly among those affluent enough to afford to have 1 parent not work so they can take the time to school their children at home.

I would imagine the same basic things are playing out here in these stats as well - the ability to have good reliable internet, a dedicated computer or tablet to work on, a proper physical space or desk space to do the work, etc. All of these things tend to be a given with higher income levels, but are not at all a forgone conclusion with lower income levels.

Some good homeschooling stats for 2021: https://www.thinkimpact.com/homeschooling-statistics/

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