Return to School and its Challenges

When face-to-face classes were suspended in March 2020, students across the country transitioned to online learning to minimize COVID-19 transmission. Today, San Antonio’s elementary schools welcome back over 83,000 students. However, the remnants of remote learning continue to influence their educational experience.

The San Antonio Municipal Court initiated the “Attendance Matters” campaign in 2023, targeting chronic absenteeism among students.

Academic Performance: A Mixed Picture

Math and Reading Scores

According to the Texas Education Agency, while reading scores have shown improvement since the 2018-2019 school year, math proficiency remains a concern. Data indicates that many students are still struggling to meet grade-level expectations in math.

“I think the parents did their part to get their kids to read,” said Elizabeth Rodriguez, a fourth-grade teacher at Agnes Cotton Academy in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). She noted that reading is generally easier for parents to assist with than math, contributing to the higher reading scores.

The STAAR results for fourth graders in Region 20 reveal fluctuations: from 41% proficiency in 2019, dropping to 28% during the pandemic in 2021, to a recovery of 39% in 2024. In contrast, math scores in the same cohort showed a decline from 30% proficiency in 2019 to just 27% in 2024.

Reading Achievement

The trend is more positive in reading, where data illustrates a remarkable recovery. For instance, 53% of sixth graders tested on grade level in 2024, up from only 34% in 2019. Similarly, fourth graders at Cotton Academy improved from 27% proficiency in reading in 2019 to 49% in 2024.

Attendance Trends Among Students

Chronically absent students constitute an alarming trend, soaring to 40.6% in SAISD during the 2022-2023 school year compared to just 14.6% prior to the pandemic. Cotton Academy reported similarly high rates, with chronic absenteeism jumping from 4.6% pre-pandemic to 24.2%.

Julie Vallery, a physical education teacher at Barkley-Ruiz Elementary, described witnessing students skipping classes, often due to parents believing attendance wasn’t essential. “We had to kind of retrain the parents to bring [students] to school every day,” she said.

Behavioral Concerns and Classroom Dynamics

Teachers also reported changes in student behavior since returning to classrooms. Vallery highlighted concerns about students being less motivated and more talkative, indicating a need for re-establishment of classroom discipline post-pandemic.

Embracing Technology in Education

In contrast to behavioral issues, teachers are noticing an uptick in technology usage in classes. Rodriguez pointed out the benefits of integrating digital tools during the pandemic, fostering tech-savviness among students. “We didn’t have great technology at our campus before COVID,” said Deja Hook, a fifth grade teacher. “Now students are learning how to manage Google Drives and create presentations.” However, she noted a decline in handwriting quality among students, with some struggling to use paper properly.