DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Education is expressing concern about learning levels during the pandemic.
Department Director Ann Lebo spoke during a press conference Thursday, saying literary screening scores are down from last year for kindergarten through third grade.
“Decreases range from five percentage points for kindergarten to 21% for first grade,” Leebo said. “But we have the time, opportunity, and capacity to intervene now to ensure that our students do not fall farther behind.”
Lebo says the results show younger students who learn online-only score lower than they did last year.
The state is allowing online-only learning because of High COVID-19 positivity rates, although some districts plan to start holding more in-person classes.
The number of counties that have a high positivity rate is rapidly dropping, from 12 counties Thursday to 25 counties as of early Friday morning.
Schools in counties with the high rate, 15 percent over a 14-day average, are permitted by the state to conduct online-only classes when they ask for a waiver.