Since Covid-19 first interrupted education in March 2020, prompting shutdowns and a shift to virtual learning, the widening opportunity gap has been in the spotlight. The pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated the stark difference in the resources and opportunities available to youth of color and under-resourced communities.

According to McKinsey’s report, “Covid-19 and learning loss — disparities grow and students need help,” students of color may fall behind six to 12 months compared to four to eight months for white students. Data from Curriculum Associates has also shown that learning loss disproportionately affects low-income students — just 60% of low-income students log in regularly to online instruction; when looking at high-income students, that percentage jumps to 90.

These learning losses could likely have long-lasting and far-reaching effects, and the consequences of disrupted instruction will undoubtedly be felt in future success. Research has estimated “losses of 5-6 percent in lifetime earnings for all children in this generation of online schooling.”

As the pandemic continues to create uncertainty over what education will look like this year and beyond, we must take steps to give our youth every chance to succeed and narrow the opportunity gap. Here are my thoughts on how we can reframe our approach as nonprofit leaders working in education:

  • We need to reframe what we think of as education.
  • We should aim to embrace social and emotional learning.
  • We must provide broadband access to our communities.
  • We should continue to provide a high-quality curriculum and out-of-school-time programming.
  • We have to view everything through an equity lens.

Read the full article about the education opportunity gap by Byron Sanders at Forbes.