COVID-19 and Poverty; Critical Care Education-an Equalizer

Education is a great equalizer. An equalizer, by nature has an equalizing effect. This does not mean all parties receive equal accommodations in order to meet the goal. This means that all parties receive what they need to meet the goal. Some need more support… some need less support…to meet the SAME goal. The goal is academic/trade/life skill attainment for a better life; a successful life. There isn’t one student or a group of students that deserve this more than another. EVERY student deserves the tools and supports he or she needs to obtain this goal. Every student deserves equity.

COVID-19 is a great unequalizer. Pre-COVID, the academic performance of students of poverty was 20 percentage points lower than students of median household incomes. An educational crisis occurred with the emergence of COVID-19. Many students of poverty relied on open school buildings for up to three meals a day. Children relied on staff for positive, meaningful relationships as well as mental health care. Many children of poverty relied on their education to be a great equalizer. COVID-19 and subsequent school closures widened the achievement divide. It created conditions of reduced access for the poor. It highlighted glaring inequities. In order for education to be an equalizer, it MUST be equitable.

COVID-19 necessitates critical care education. Regardless of virtual, hybrid or face to face classes, critical care must be employed and must address students in poverty in order to be a great equalizer. Children, families, and the economy, depend on efforts by all stakeholders to employ critical care during a critical time. Policies and recovery plans grounded in equity have never been more important.

Critical care education emphasizes strategies and practices that even the playing field. Creating forums for families, educators and community members to collaborate and brainstorm opportunities for increased access to equitable conditions can be powerful. A consistent mental health care plan for those in need must be employed. Additional instructional time of student populations that lost the most academic time due to school closures is key. Tutoring and targeted instruction for those that didn’t receive much needed access is crucial. Most importantly, acceleration opportunities for populations that face technology/space/home barriers is critical. Providing the tools for teachers to look for and create personalized, individualized acceleration opportunities for students daily, can be pivotal. These instructional and scheduling practices are critical in accelerating students whose futures depend on it.

Disparities in education are not new, but they should NOT be the norm. When there are critical moments/times in education, that threaten populations that need the most support, we have to be prepared with critical, equitable care.