Upon his return to the political scene, President Trump faces the challenge of addressing the lingering effects of the pandemic on American schools. Although much of the nation has reopened, education experts highlight that issues such as learning loss and chronic absenteeism remain stubbornly unresolved.
There’s concern among experts regarding whether the Trump administration is interested in tackling these problems directly. Morgan Scott Polikoff, an education policy professor at the University of Southern California, questions whether the administration will prioritize using the U.S. Department of Education’s resources to improve schools or if it will focus more on expanding school choice and culture war issues.
Education experts urge Trump’s administration to prioritize recovery over conservative education policies
The pandemic’s impact on education remains stark, despite schools being fully open for several years. According to research from the nonprofit NWEA, students entering high school are still behind, with test score gaps widening in math and reading. In fact, it would take nearly five additional months of instruction in reading and math for students to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
Douglas Harris, an economics professor at Tulane University, points out that while there has been some recovery in graduation rates, overall student outcomes have not fully bounced back, with gaps persisting in test scores, college enrollment, and educational attainment. He emphasizes that the education system is still far from returning to where it would have been without the pandemic.
Trump’s current educational platform focuses more on conservative values, such as eliminating the federal Department of Education and creating a national school choice program, rather than addressing learning loss or chronic absenteeism. Experts, however, continue to push for policies that address these challenges directly, suggesting potential bipartisan solutions like project-based learning.
The Trump transition team did not provide any comment on the matter. However, after-school programs, which have proven to aid both learning recovery and socio-emotional development, are seen as a key tool in overcoming these hurdles.
Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, advocates for increased funding for these programs, stressing the need for the new administration to recognize their positive impact. Trump has also voiced support for strengthening teacher discipline powers, particularly in response to the worsening behavior of students post-pandemic.
A poll conducted last year found that 70% of teachers felt student behavior had worsened since 2019, with one-third noting an increase in misbehavior. Many experts, including Harris, agree that addressing school discipline is an area where Trump’s approach could make sense.
While federal involvement is crucial, experts stress that local and state governments, as well as Congress, must also be committed to addressing these challenges. Polikoff suggests that the federal government could play a critical role in supporting states to expand successful programs, monitor progress, and provide additional support where necessary.
Harris believes that learning loss will recover naturally over time, especially as students who were affected by the pandemic graduate or progress to higher grades. As students who weren’t in kindergarten when COVID began enter the educational system, the effects of the pandemic will diminish, regardless of federal policies. He adds that the government may receive credit for improvements unrelated to its actions.
