The pandemic drastically reshaped the landscape of education. Student achievement at nearly all schools was hit hard, as were factors that exacerbated that drop, like chronic absenteeism. Even years of recovery efforts supercharged by billions in funding hasn’t helped all schools recover the ground given up to learning loss.
Even fewer schools are doing better than they were before Covid hit. The percentage of students meeting state English and math standards was higher at only 96 of 740 county schools, a grim reminder of the toll virtual learning and the tumult of the pandemic took on schools.
Some experts believe that while educators owe students an education debt, it may be time to give up on the concept of recovery altogether and instead approach the post-pandemic reality as a new performance baseline.
Flood Victims Are Still Struggling to Rebuild
The devastating floods that struck parts of San Diego in late October cast a long shadow. About 5,000 residents were impacted and for many, the struggle has continued. From renters who didn’t qualify for assistance to homeowners who didn’t receive enough, some of those most who were hit the hardest are still working to get back on their feet.
Claudia Boyd Barrett with California Health Report writes in a new story that despite the freak nature of the precipitation that hit the region, many are clear-eyed about the decades of neglect that preceded the disaster.
And though infrastructure improvements are badly needed to ensure neglected areas of the city aren’t once again devastated by the more frequent natural disasters climate change is fueling, San Diegans seem less willing to invest in them.
Supe Candidates Scramble for Support
The campaign to replace Supervisor Nora Vargas following her abrupt resignation got official last week when the remaining supervisors voted to hold a special election to fill her seat. Now the more behind-the-scenes campaign to secure donations and key endorsements, both of which build on each other, is in full swing, South County reporter Jim Hinch writes.
The handful of Democrats – and lone Republican – in the race are making the rounds to powerful interest groups like the San Diego Labor Council and grassroots organizations like regional Democratic clubs to attempt to woo supporters in the lead up to the actual election. The momentum built in the coming weeks could make all the difference when ballots head out to voters.
Song of the Week
Witch Face, “Heretic”: One of the most shocking facts about Witch Face is that lead vocalist Mia Najor has never fronted a band before. The hard-nosed, no-frills instrumentation of “Heretic,” is infectious, but Najor’s ferocious, distorted vocals make the track positively float. Read more about the Song of the Week here.
Like what you hear? Check out Witch Face at Casbah on Friday, Jan. 24.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists.
In Other News
- Firefighters have successfully tamped down a whole series of fires across the county in recent days, from Bonsall to Mission Valley. (Union-Tribune)
- Asylum seekers in Mexico were some of the first to feel the direct impact of newly inaugurated President Donald Trump’s immigration policy changes, as the appointment system for migrants seeking asylum was shut down Tuesday. (Union-Tribune)
- Amita Sharma with KPBS spoke to San Diegans about President Donald Trump’s inauguration speech. Here’s what stood out to some residents. ICYMI: We published a series of stories last week about why voters in San Diego shifted right. Read all the stories here.
- Axios San Diego reports that Poway Councilmember Tony Blain may have violated state law when he threatened to recall another member of the Council in an email if that member didn’t vote for a special election. As our Tigist Layne reported last week, a vacancy on the Council has drawn up a lot of controversy. Residents want the City Council to hold a special election instead of appointing someone to the seat.
The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.