NC state superintendent outlines academic recovery from COVID-19

WASHINGTON —State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt testified last week before a U.S. House subcommittee (Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education) to outline the state’s approach to academic recovery following COVID-19.

She highlighted the NC Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration (OLR) which was created in 2021 to support local school districts with learning loss recovery.

Truitt said her office recognized how detrimental school closures were for students, and launched the OLR, to better prepare for federal funding. Truitt said that it remains one of the first, if not the only, in the country.

“When the massive influx of federal funding did come pouring into North Carolina, we were as prepared as we could be,” Truitt testified. “My agency was able to provide local education leaders with an office dedicated to recovery and rooted in research and data.”

The OLR produced a comprehensive report detailing learning loss in every student with a score on a tested subject. They found that COVID-19 caused learning disruptions across all grades and subjects. It also determined that students who experienced more face-to-face learning in the classroom made stronger gains than virtual students. Key takeaways included that the majority of students need regular interaction and engagement with teachers and peers, teachers should target interventions in the middle school years and it’s necessary for students to have access to reliable broadband at home.

“While our state has more to do, North Carolina was unique and intentional in its approach to recovery and acceleration. …We have been transparent, data-driven and research based every step of the way. We remain committed to working alongside our school districts – providing them with access to tools, data and one-on-one sessions so they can make informed decisions about how to best serve their students,” Truitt said in prepared testimony.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) asked Truitt how she would respond to Democrats who claim that learning loss can’t be fixed without billions of federal dollars from taxpayers.

Truitt responded that the premise of the OLR was to ensure that school districts were good stewards of their allotted funds, and that for a state that is 80% rural with some central offices limited to only a few personnel, that the OLR provided the necessary guidance.

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) asked why it was important to get student-level data.

Truitt responded that in doing a population study, they were able to determine which students, subgroups and testing subjects suffered the most during the pandemic, and they were able to identify key interventions such as Summer Bridge Academy over the summer for students who are transitioning schools, as well as math boot camps targeting grade levels that suffered the most decline.

“What recommendations can you suggest outside of the pandemic [to improve education?]” Scott asked.

“We need to not run away from accountability,” Truitt replied. “That standardized testing lets us know where we are falling short with which sub groups. Had it not been for No Child Left Behind we wouldn’t know that our black and brown students were experiencing the kinds of gaps that they were. In a time when some states are running away from accountability, North Carolina is running toward accountability.”

Truitt added that they also need to address chronic absenteeism, and that by holding school districts accountable for providing opportunities for career and technical skills, that they can “get ride of the narrative” that the only path to the middle class is with a four-year college degree.