BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 2023 school year is quickly approaching which means, after a tough couple of years, students, faculty, and staff are heading back to into the classroom.
Learning during the pandemic has been far from familiar. Bedrooms and living rooms transformed into classrooms, while tablets and technology became academic lifelines.
Educators say making up for pandemic losses has been challenging. Graduation numbers are down, summer school numbers are up and tutors are in high demand.
Gabby Mosher teaches math at Health Sciences Charter School in Buffalo and has been teaching for roughly five years. As it relates to the impact the pandemic has had on learning, Mosher tells 2 On Your Side's Liz Lewin, "What I've been seeing is there a lot of students that are lacking basic skills."
For the first time in a couple of years, a majority of districts around the country will be starting the new school year in the classroom, not on tablets.
The fear of falling behind has driven the demand for tutors to sky-high levels.
"Once upon a time, maybe we might be able to find a tutor for $20 or $25 dollars. Nowadays, for tutors, the rates have gone up to about $40 bucks if not more," Mosher explains. "it's kind of like the price gauging at the gas station
"I do think, despite how challenging last year was, that this year is going to present a lot more opportunities," Mosher says.
Dr. Sam Abramovich is an associate professor at the University At Buffalo's School of Education and says the lack of connection in classrooms has widened the learning gap.
"We're operating from a bigger educational deficit than ever before," Abramovich says. " Tutors can certainly help by bringing back that sense of intimacy, the give and take that you might have with a teacher."
But the reality is, as nice and helpful as having your own tutor can be, it's not an option for every family and sadly many educational afterschool and community programs are busting at the seams.
"What do you do when you have 100 kids registered for a program for academic support, and at least 50 of them are not proficient in some type of school, just some type of level, shape, or form?" Mosher stresses, "A lot of programs were not ready to even meet that level of demand academically."
While the 2023 school year will be refreshing in many ways, experts warn, that it will likely be eye-opening in even more ways.
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