Few events in U.S. history impacted education like the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic erased years of progress, 

Recently, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation’s report card, revealed losses in educational attainment across the county, with the biggest drop in math scores ever reported. Reading scores fell to their lowest levels since 1992.  

This CMC panel explores the damage done by the pandemic to education and the ways we can close the COVID learning gap in Central Ohio. 

The panelists are:

Amy Gordon, Executive Director and CEO, Communities in Schools of Ohio

Dr. Stéphane Lavertu, Professor and Director of Doctoral Studies, The John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Cheryl Ward, Vice-President, Success by Third Grade, United Way of Central Ohio

The host is Dr. Eric Karolak, CEO, Action for Children 

This forum was sponsored by Columbus State Community College and PNC, with support from the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. The forum livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and by The Columbus Dispatch. 

This forum was recorded before a live audience on January 25, 2023.