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Perhaps more so than ever before, budget priorities and the distribution of resources will dictate our experience in a post-COVID world, and our schools will certainly feel the ripple effects of diverted funding and restructured priorities. The way in which decision makers navigate this financial challenge will have a lasting impact on a generation of young people — particularly on those who have been least served by our education system to date.

Research shows social-emotional learning has a demonstrable effect on school climate, student behavior and academic performance. It is a growing priority for educators who are committed to creating equitable learning environments for every student. However, with most students learning through screens and at a distance, it can be difficult to figure out how to build and sustain the relationships that are so critical to student success.

COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of millions of students across the country, but perhaps none feel this crisis as acutely as undocumented students experiencing homelessness, who may have difficulty accessing even the most rudimentary of safety nets. Thankfully, there are still plenty of folks on the front lines using proven strategies and tactics to ensure that they are getting the support that they need.

As COVID-19 sweeps the country creating massive uncertainty in its wake, our friends at the National Equity Project have maintained their devotion to an honest, clear-eyed assessment of where we are and where we could be. Hugh Vasquez challenges the status quo to explore what’s possible on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis.

How a team of New York teachers are authentically connecting with their students and increasing engagement during a pandemic.

Learn how EL Education and their district partners were able to ensure that each of their students remain connected to their learning, even amidst a global pandemic.

All across the United States, schools and districts are navigating a bumpy transition to distance learning in response to COVID-19. The move from classrooms to remote-learning environments has exposed countless inequities in our society. As educators and policymakers race to provide students with the tools they need to continue learning, flexibility, speed and creativity have never been needed more in the education environment.

Spring is typically filled with rites of passage for high school students, from prom, to AP tests, to college acceptances and graduations. But for millions of students this year, all this was put on hold as educators rushed to scale teaching and learning in a remote, online environment amidst a global health crisis. Many schools around the country are grappling with how to locate and engage students who have gone radio silent, while others, like Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Baltimore, have been laying the groundwork for equitable learning for a while, and are better prepared to navigate the student “visibility” crisis.

Earlier this month, the Kingmakers of Oakland released Kings in the Making, a collaborative album that features the voices of Black boys delivering a message of love and community. It’s an extraordinary use of music and digital tools that centers the perspective of Black male students in the midst of nationwide school closures.

As school districts and teachers across the country grapple with the implications of COVID-19, there is a voice noticeably missing from the conversation: the students. In our experience, their perspective is not just “nice to have.” It is absolutely essential to ensuring that we are, in fact, meeting the academic and emotional needs of our students. If we don’t hear directly from them, how can we know?