Real fears about the quality of online learning

Dear reader,
 
As we approach a Thanksgiving like no other, our schools – when open – are struggling to serve both in-person and virtual learners, with real fears about the quality of online learning.
 
Our institutions of higher education are under great pressure as well, with parents worried about untenable debt loads while some students who already have bachelor’s degrees opt to return to school to learn trades that don’t require one.
 
Community colleges, in the meantime, are providing a much-needed lifeline to students struggling through the pandemic. Other experts are urging students not to put off their education during these tough times, and encouraging Black students to push past both historical and current obstacles, and fight for a better education. These are among the stories we bring you this week, and we welcome yours as you celebrate safely. Hit reply to this email to send your ideas to my team.

Remote learners feel shortchanged in districts pressured to reopen in person

“Stuck in it until I die”: Parents get buried by college debt too 

More people with bachelor’s degrees go back to school to learn skilled trades

OPINION: Community colleges are helping students more than ever in the pandemic

OPINION: Now is not the time to put college plans on hold

COLUMN: Dear Black students: Don’t let white efforts at miseducation deny your legacy

Schools bring mindfulness to the classroom to help kids in the Covid-19 crisis

Just 3% of scientists and engineers are Black or Latina women. Here’s what teachers are doing about it