Today, the National Academy of Education (NAEd) releases a commissioned paper series as part of the Addressing Educational Inequities in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic project that aims to provide promising strategies for improving student well-being and learning outcomes, particularly for disproportionately affected historically underserved populations. These three papers provide strategies to: (1) align, accelerate, and extend student learning; (2) build supportive conditions and supports for student and educator well-being and thriving; and (3) support and integrally involve families and communities in children’s academic thriving and well-being.
In our schools, we continue to experience the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. States, school districts, administrators, teachers, families, and communities continue to grapple with unfinished learning and the traumatic effects of the pandemic. At the same time, additional disasters—like the California wildfires and recent tornadoes through the southern United States—remind us that school interruptions continue, and we must be prepared.
This paper series highlights the profound and ongoing effects of COVID-19 on educational opportunities and underscores the necessity of bold, systemic reforms to ensure equitable and effective learning environments. The commissioned papers examine evidence-based strategies to mitigate opportunity gaps, strengthen student supports, and foster inclusive, community-centered approaches that enhance educational outcomes for all learners.
Commissioned Paper Series:
Implementing Programs to Align, Accelerate, and Extend Student Learning
Megan Kuhfeld, Northwest Evaluation Association
Sarah L. Woulfin, The University of Texas at Austin
Andrew McEachin, Educational Testing Service
Building Supportive Conditions and Comprehensive Supports to Enhance Student and Educator Well-Being and Thriving
David Osher, Fellow EASEL Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Wehmah Jones
Robert Jagers, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
Supporting Families and Communities in Children’s Academic Thriving and Well-Being in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ann M. Ishimaru, University of Washington
Sophia Rodriguez, New York University
This project is funded by the William T. Grant Foundation. The NAEd Addressing Educational Inequities in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic steering committee is grateful for the contribution of these authors to the work of the project.
