Article Author:
Associated Press
Colin Binkley
Angel Hope saw a math test and was at a loss. He had just graduated high school near the top of his class and had a scholarship from a prestigious university. But on this test (a University of Wisconsin test that measures what freshmen learned in high school), all he could do was guess.
The turmoil of the pandemic seemed to catch up with him in one fell swoop.
Almost a third of Hope's high school life was spent at his home, difficult to follow. , spent in a forgettable virtual class. One day he skipped school and worked extra hours at his job. One day he played a game with his brother and sister. Other days he just stayed in bed.
Algebra barely caught his attention, but teachers continued to give him good grades as the whole school called for leniency.
"School seemed optional. It wasn't compulsory," said Hope, his 18-year-old from Milwaukee. "I really feel like I haven't learned anything."
There are countless people like him across the country. Hundreds of thousands of recent graduates will head to college this fall after spending more than half of their high school careers dealing with the upheaval of the pandemic. They endured a jarring transition to online learning, strains from teacher shortages, and severe disruptions to home life. And many of them are considered to be far behind academically.
Colleges could see a surge in students unprepared for the demands of college-level jobs, according to education experts. Starting a step late can increase your risk of dropping out. And it can hurt everything from an individual's long-term income to the health of a country's workforce.
Allison Wagner, who reviewed the application to All-In Milwaukee, clarified the extent of the problem. This program is a scholarship program that provides financial assistance and college counseling to low-income students, including Hope.
Wagner, executive director of the
group, allows a surprising number of students to spend half of his day at school working part-time at his chain of fast food and grocery stores. I saw it being done. I have also seen more students than ever skip 4th grade math and science classes, often as a result of teacher shortages.
"Too many students going to college are academically malnourished," Wagner said. ``There is no way they can be academically prepared for the rigors of college.''
It covers the tuition fees of students in programs that receive . Still, she fears the setback will take some students more than four years to graduate, or even force them to drop out.
"The stakes are very high," she said.
Researchers say distance learning has caused a clear setback in learning, especially among Black and Hispanic students. For younger students, there is still hope that American schools can increase the pace of instruction and close the learning gap. But experts fear many of those who graduated within the last two years will struggle.
Universities from New Jersey to California have expanded "bridge" programs to offer summer classes in anticipation of higher demand, often for low-income students and families. It is aimed at first-time college students. Programs that were previously treated as orientations are gaining a more rigorous academic edge with an emphasis on math, science and study skills.
Wallace State Community in Hansville, Alabama. I prepared for Students were able to take three weeks of accelerated math and English classes to avoid remedial classes.
The school hoped to bring up to 140 students to campus, but only 10 of her enrolled.
Other states are using federal pandemic relief to help build summer programs in colleges. In Kentucky, which donated her $3.5 million to colleges this year, officials called it a "moral imperative."
Amanda Ellis, Vice President of Kentucky's Postsecondary Education Council, said, "We need these people to be the workforce of the future, and we need them to succeed.
After the pandemic hit, Angel Hope worked up to 20 hours a week at a local non-profit support group. With his parents away at work, he often felt lonely and avoided social media for days. , had ramen for dinner.
"I think isolating myself was just part of my coping mechanism," he said.
The pandemic has left many high school students demotivated at a time when they would normally be preparing for college. Rey Saldana, president and CEO of Communities in Schools, a nonprofit that places counselors in public schools in 26 states, said:
His group worked in districts where hundreds of students had not returned after classrooms reopened. In Charlotte, North Carolina, the lure of steady pay is keeping many students out of school even after in-person classes resume, said Shakaka Perry, re-engagement coordinator for Community in Schools. .
Perry and her colleagues spent the last year bringing students back to school and preparing them for graduation. But given whether they're ready for college, she has her doubts: "It's going to be an awakening." A month later, Hope headed to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for six weeks of intensive summer classes at the Bridge Program. He took math classes that covered areas he didn't get in high school, and signed up to take calculus in the fall.
He also revived basic study skills that had been dormant in high school. He started his studies at the library. He got used to the school rhythm with daily homework and biweekly tests. He rediscovered what it means to enjoy school.
Most importantly, he says it changed his mindset.
"I definitely feel ready for college after this," he said. "Without this, I would be in a very bad place."
——
AP's education team is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. AP is solely responsible for all content.
-
Contributed by her AP writer Carrie Antfinger from Milwaukee.
——
Seehttps://apnews.com/hub/back-to-school
