In this radio series, former Education Reporter Liz McCormick explored how the state addressed the learning loss and social-emotional needs of students following the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Each week in summer 2021, WVPB shared a new story highlighting some of the top questions and concerns in education.

Stories

Liz McCormick,Aug. 25, 2021

Elementary Students Share Pandemic Experiences In Education Series Finale

This week, we conclude our summer education radio series “Closing the COVID Gap.”For the past eleven weeks, education reporter Liz McCormick helped guide us through the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on our state’s education system. We talked with experts, te…

Liz McCormick,Aug. 18, 2021

Back To School And Masking: Kanawha County Superintendent Talks Returning to Classes

As West Virginia counties return to school, the debate over masks in classrooms continues.Last week, Kanawha County Schools — home of the state’s capital city — was the first school system to return for the fall. The county was also the first district to issue a mas…

Liz McCormick,Aug. 12, 2021

New Head Of National School Boards Association Talks Masks, Critical Race Theory And Ways Forward Post-Pandemic

K-12 education across the country has been through a lot this past year-and-a-half.While this fall looks different from fall 2020, there are still many uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and schools.In this week’s special, two-part installment o…

Liz McCormick,Aug. 05, 2021

W.Va. School Officials Say Masking This Fall Will Be Left Up To Local Districts

This week in our summer education radio series “Closing the COVID Gap,” we spotlight the latest news for K-12 schools in West Virginia.State officials announced Wednesday that there will not be a statewide mask mandate for schools this fall — even as the Delta vari…

Liz McCormick,Aug. 03, 2021

Researcher: Making Virtual Learning Successful Requires Coordination Across A School System

In our latest installment of our summer education series, “Closing the COVID Gap,” we explore the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on broadband needs and virtual schooling.Many pockets of West Virginia still do not have reliable internet access in homes, yet thousand…

Liz McCormick,Jul. 19, 2021

State Higher Ed Officials Encourage Student Vaccinations, More Behavioral Health Support

We continue with our summer education radio series, “Closing the COVID Gap.” In our last …

Jessica Lilly,Jul. 15, 2021

Mercer Students Catch Up On Learning — and Fun — With Mobile Classroom Bus Program

A mobile program in southern West Virginia meant to bring education closer to students began this week. Mercer County Schools used federal dollars from the…

Liz McCormick,Jul. 12, 2021

For Some West Virginians, Virtual And Homeschool Were Game-Changers For Learning

We continue with our summer education radio series, “Closing the COVID Gap.” In our last story…

Liz McCormick,Jun. 23, 2021

School Counselor’s Suggested Fall Approach: ‘Give Your Kids A Blank Slate’

We continue with another installment of our summer-long radio education series, “Closing the COVID Gap.” …

Liz McCormick,Jun. 18, 2021

Education Leaders Look To Federal COVID Money To Bolster Student Social-Emotional Needs

We continue this week with our summer-long radio series “Closing the COVID Gap,” which explores the challenging …

Liz McCormick,Jun. 09, 2021

Closing The COVID Gap: WVPB Launches New Education Radio Series

Since March 13, 2020, when Gov. Jim Justice announced that all K-12 schools would close due to the looming coronavirus pandemic, West Virginia’s education system has been climbing a steep hill to get kids back on track.West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s new summer-…