In the news: CRPE researches the toll that the pandemic has had on all aspects of education

The Center on Reinventing Public Education, which formally joins MLFTC in February 2022, made headlines this month for its research on how the pandemic has affected — and continues to affect — education, school districts, teachers, students and families.

Since the pandemic began, nearly two years ago, the Center on Reinventing Public Education has been tracking the pandemic-related plans of 100 large urban school districts that serve nearly 10 million students. The Washington Post published, “Classes canceled for a second day after Chicago teachers vote to defy in-person learning order,” citing CRPE’s research. Of the 100 school districts CRPE is tracking, 15 were disrupted for COVID-19 reasons, four closed entirely due to the pandemic, five were teaching remotely and six closed at least one campus but were otherwise open. Read the article. 

In an article published by U.S. News & World Report about how the pandemic has laid the groundwork to reexamine what is asked of schools and teachers, and how they serve students and families, the outlet spoke with the Center of Reinventing Public Education’s director, Robin Lake. “Students’ diverse needs demand diverse solutions,” she said. “We have to think about reaching kids in new ways, and now is a critical time for us to ask older students and parents, ‘What are your family’s needs and how can we address them in critical ways?’ and ‘What do you want longer term?’” Read more. 

In addition to its own research, the Center on Reinventing Public Education, along with Transcend Education, stewards the Canopy Project. The project, a nationwide effort lifting up knowledge from hundreds of organizations to build open data about schools that are innovating, is fueled by participation from hundreds of organizations and schools. The 74 published the article, “Tracking how 232 innovative schools are challenging five big assumptions about American education,” citing CRPE and its work on the Canopy Project. The article shares the assumptions being challenged by Canopy innovators. Read the entire article. 

Learn more about the Center on Reinventing Public Education and its partnership with Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.