TEXAS (KXXV) — It’s been five years since Governor Abbott announced a disaster declaration of COVID-19.
We know it affected our kids in the school system, but how have we rebounded and what’s changed permanently?
Lauren Adams talked with a Texas State Board of Education member. She says some things have returned to their former state, but others are still a work in progress.
On April 17, 2020, Governor Abbott closed schools for the remainder of the year.
When school began in September, half of the state schools were in person, and by the end of 2021, most schools were in person.
State Board of Education member Rebecca Bell-Metereau remembers when the pandemic hit five years ago, and how it affected the education system.
“When Covid hit and they told us to teach on Zoom, I wasn’t the only one terrified. Most hadn’t done Zoom before and had to learn on the fly," Bell-Metereau said.
She said classes in Texas have returned to complete in-classroom learning, but some teachers still use Zoom.
She says, “We don’t use remote learning, but a lot of times if a student is sick, they can remote into class," Bell-Metereau said
The pandemic made campus cleaning a top priority, wiping down surfaces, even though COVID was an airborne, and using hand sanitizer.
That cleanliness remains today.
Bell-Metereau said, “All the schools are spotless. That’s good cause there are other diseases and allergies.”
The pandemic negatively affected reading and math skills in Texas.
Bell-Metereau told Lauren Adams that they are still climbing back to better grades.
She said, “They’re edging up in some areas and some schools, but still haven’t gained as much as we need to.”
Governor Abbott issued a series of executive orders on masks during COVID.
After June 2021, no student, teacher, or parent could be required to wear masks while on campus.
Bell-Metereau also said she rarely sees students in large groups anymore and she feels that’s an effect of the pandemic and the social isolation many experienced during that year.
