Educators Identify Learning Gaps due to COVID-19 in Horace Mann Study
31 March 2021 - 1:00AM
Business Wire
Educators suggest narrower focus on grade-level
standards, more paraprofessionals and social-emotional learning
support to help students
More than half of public K-12 educators say the COVID-19
pandemic has resulted in a significant loss of both academic and
social-emotional learning for students, according to a March 2021
Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE:HMN) report.
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The report, Closing the Learning Gap, shares insights
from the March 2021 Horace Mann Voice of the Educator Study, which
surveyed nearly 1,000 U.S. K-12 educators to gain insight into the
educational challenges caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19
pandemic. Among the findings:
- Over 97% of educators reported loss of learning by their
students over the past year when compared with children in previous
years.
- A majority (57%) of educators estimated their students are
behind by more than three months in their social-emotional learning
progress.
- When asked what the biggest obstacle to return to a “normal”
education environment was, nearly half (47%) of educators cited a
wider gap between academically struggling and high-performing
students.
“For 75 years, Horace Mann has been dedicated to helping
educators achieve lifelong financial success, driven by our desire
to help those who are taking care of our children,” said Horace
Mann President and CEO Marita Zuraitis. “That appreciation and
respect has only deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators
are working harder than ever to meet the needs of their students
through an environment of constant change, and we are inspired by
their enduring commitment to help each student reach their full
potential.”
The good news for students is the 2021-2022 school year has
strong potential to look more like a pre-pandemic learning
environment. Teachers are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in all 50
states. The Centers for Disease Control lessened social distancing
requirements to three feet from six feet for students in most
classroom settings, a development largely expected to spur more
schools to re-open. Several manufacturers are testing their
vaccines on children and expect to release clinical trial results
over the summer.
With that in mind, educators have a wealth of ideas to best
support students’ progress going forward:
- 53% see a need for a narrower focus on grade-level standards to
ensure students learn the most important concepts for their grade
level, with many also recommending less focus on standardized test
preparation
- 34% would like more paraprofessionals to provide targeted
support to struggling students
- 30% requested access to more social-emotional learning
resources to help students process the events of the past year
In the Horace Mann study, teachers stressed the need for
transparency and involvement in workplace decisions as
administrators weigh how to adjust academic practices and
curriculum. Many educators emphasized the need for flexibility in
adapting to the ever-changing challenges of the pandemic, and
patience as teachers, administrators, students and parents navigate
an environment none of them have ever faced before.
“In the midst of the upheaval of the 2020-2021 school year, 93%
of educators said they were proud of how they adapted their
teaching to meet the needs of students, whether in a remote, hybrid
or socially distanced in-person learning environment,” said Horace
Mann National Business Solutions Executive Kelly Ruwe. “Teachers’
experience on the front lines will be invaluable in charting the
way forward: Surfacing new issues that need to be addressed,
sharing successful approaches, and advising how our communities can
band together to help our children succeed.”
The full report, “Closing the Learning Gap: How frontline
educators want to address lost learning due to COVID-19” is
available at horacemann.com/closing-the-learning-gap.
About Horace Mann
Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE: HMN) is the largest
financial services company focused on providing America’s educators
and school employees with insurance and retirement solutions.
Founded by Educators for Educators® in 1945, the company is
headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. For more information, visit
horacemann.com, or follow us @Horace Mann on Twitter and LinkedIn,
and @HoraceMannInsurance on Facebook.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210330005322/en/
Media contact: Michelle Eccles Public Relations Manager
217-788-5394 michelle.eccles@horacemann.com
Investor contact: Heather J. Wietzel Vice President,
Investor Relations 217-788-5144
investorrelations@horacemann.com
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