NAIS Research Series: Learning Loss in Independent Schools

By Margaret Anne Rowe
NAIS Research Analyst

Executive Summary

Learning loss has been a defining issue of pandemic- and post-pandemic-era schooling. Students unsurprisingly lost ground on academics during school closures, and have struggled to catch up even when schools were back to some semblance of normalcy. However, looking at learning loss through a purely academic lens risks sidelining the many other losses children endured during the pandemic, particularly in terms of social, emotional, and cognitive skills. This NAIS Research series aims to take a more holistic view of learning loss in independent schools by exploring these other facets of loss—and, most importantly, offering action steps and questions for reflection so that schools can effectively address these issues.

Part 1 explores the impact of pandemic-related closures and cutbacks on the early childhood and elementary years, including the impact on cognitive development and students' capacity for learning. Research shows that pandemic babies were behind on certain development milestones, while elementary-schoolers who contracted earlier strains of COVID-19 showed worse mental health outcomes than their peers. Students back in-person in school have struggled to practice good classroom behavior when they spent so long outside of it, sometimes in stressful environments. While some students will need additional external interventions to catch up, others will benefit from what independent schools are often already doing.

Part 2 uses national and independent school data to look at the mental health of students. The existing youth mental health crisis of the 2010s only worsened with the pandemic, particular for girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color. In independent schools, surveys show a decline in happiness and an increase in negative feelings in upper-schoolers between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022, while middle-schoolers were 9 to 17 percentage points better off than their older peers. Though nothing should replace professional help for students in need, schools have many tools and resources at their disposal already to build a better climate for students that can help improve everyone's wellness.

Part 3 looks into social-emotional learning (SEL) and its advantages in tackling learning loss. While most independent schools already have some implementation of SEL, some are facing pushback from parents, while others have not effectively trained their teachers in it. Most programs can benefit from focusing more on staff training, keeping parents informed, including students in the implementation process, and focusing on a broader culture of research-backed learning strategies.

Finally, Part 4 features a special report prepared by Thomas R. Rochon and Aaron V. Shuman at ERB (Educational Records Bureau) covering learning restoration within NAIS schools. Specifically, ERB analyzes testing data from its Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) for grades 1-11 to compare the impact of school closures in March 2020 on student learning with the rate of student academic learning growth during 2021-2022. While school closures lead to notably slowed growth in fall 2020 when compared to fall 2019, students mirrored pre-COVID growth rates in tested areas by the end of 2021-2022.

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