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Waterbury adds 24/7 tutoring for students after pandemic learning gap

The pandemic is something we’re going to be talking about for a while. The effects are still ongoing, of course, but the after effects will continue to be felt in many areas. Education for instance has been impacted in ways that are still being realized. Waterbury Public Schools have partnered with Varsity Tutors to help give students a helping hand after several tough years.

All over Connecticut, students have fallen back in several key areas. According to the Department of Education, students in Grades 4 and 8 have seen declining scores in math and reading when compared to 2019.

This is not just a Connecticut problem. Looking at 8th grade scores across the nation, only 10 states or territories saw scores remain the same from 2019, with the remaining 43 states or territories declining when it comes to reading. In Math the situation was direr – only two areas saw no change with 51 States or territories declining.

Recognizing this problem, Waterbury took the initiative to become more accessible to students. With 24/7 tutoring for students, any time a question arises, they can work with someone who will give them answers. That problem is multi-faceted and there are many areas of concern.

Part of the problem is the nationwide teacher short- age. Speaking with WTNH, Brian Galvin of Varsity Tutors said that they have seen a growing trend of limited teacher interactions. With so many students per class, giving children the attention they need gets harder.

Another side is increased tardiness. Schools around the country have seen unexcused absences increase. Many towns and cities have focused attention on getting children back into the classroom, but both of these areas of concern speak to one primary issue: if a child has a question and there’s no one there to answer it, a teaching moment is lost.

With access 24/7, no student is left behind. They can contact a tutor with Varsity Tutors and work together on an issue. And it lessens the burden on the teachers who may be overwhelmed with demand and can’t offer that one-on-one learning experience that a child might need.

The final wedge of the past three years has been the digital divide. As our state has invested more and more in the infrastructure, breaking down the wall to better quality, lower cost access to high-speed internet, we can begin to focus on areas of importance.

Waterbury has asked itself what its children need and is meeting them where they are. Putting children first is always a great idea.