The world has changed. School districts across the country are making massive efforts to deal with the impact of the pandemic. From continuing to meet students’ nutritional needs through food distribution efforts to grappling with uneven access to digital technology in a time of virtual instruction, the number and complexity of challenges facing our public education system is as unprecedented as the pandemic itself.

At CLI, we are continuing to work shoulder-to-shoulder with school districts to help accelerate the transition from in-classroom instruction to at-home instruction. We are supporting teachers to understand what it takes to deliver effective online instruction. We are helping to strengthen the connection between teacher online instruction and at-home support by providing caregivers with learning guides full of activities and tips linked to the lesson objective of the teacher’s online instruction. We are dramatically increasing the resources available to teachers and families on LEARN, our web-based learning platform.

There is so much we don’t know about the other side of “the curve.” We do know, however, that children and families in the communities we serve will face the greatest challenges with the fewest resources. We do know that the opportunity gap will widen and inequities will deepen, especially if we do not step in with everything we’ve got.

The world has changed, but our mission remains the same. We are deeply grateful for those who support our work with teachers and children. It matters now more than ever.

- Joel Zarrow, PhD