Image by Andrew Nixon / CapRadio
With schools around the country closed due to COVID-19, teachers are using technology to help educate kids remotely. However, some students lack access to a computer, making online learning impossible. One school district in California is leveling the playing field by distributing laptops to children from low-income families. Listen to hear a principal describe the joy of seeing students in the computer line, and learn how a high school student has been spending her time at home.
Story Length: 2:08
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March 17, 2020
3:18
Leaders in over 30 states have closed schools statewide to help contain the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Millions of students will be home, and parents and guardians are scrambling to find child care. Children from low-income families who rely on free or reduced-price lunches, and parents who are unable to stay home from work, will face particular challenges. Listen to learn why schools are closing for long periods of time and what politicians are doing to help people affected by the virus.
This audio story was recorded in mid-March. The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and parts of this story may be dated.
Read MoreMarch 16, 2020
4:32
COVID-19 has officially been declared a pandemic, a disease infecting populations throughout the world. The virus spreads easily, and once a few people have it, they can quickly infect many others with whom they have contact. A graph of the infection’s spread shows a sharp peak when the rate of infection is highest. As schools close, more people work from home, and other steps are taken to limit human interaction, scientists expect the rate of infection to slow down and the graph’s curve to flatten. Listen to learn how flattening the curve can help the health care system handle the COVID-19 outbreak, and how past epidemics can help guide today’s decisions about how to respond.
Read MoreFebruary 14, 2020
2:25
The College Board has dropped the practice of assigning an “adversity score” to college applicants taking the SAT exam due to objections from parents and students. The score was intended to provide college admissions offices with information about economic hardships faced by students. Supporters of the score say it can help colleges understand the challenges faced by low-income applicants compared to their more affluent peers. Opponents argue the score cannot capture the complexities of people’s experience and might be used against poor students. Listen to hear arguments on both sides and then debate: Should college admissions include adversity scores?
Read MoreJanuary 17, 2020
3:38
Students sued the University of California to force it to stop requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores. The complaint claims tests like the SAT and ACT are biased against low-income and non-white applicants, and scores are closely linked to family income. Defenders of the tests say they are the most objective way to evaluate skills and point to other countries that rely heavily on testing while producing high-achieving students. Listen to hear more about the lawsuit and then debate: Should college admissions use the SAT and ACT tests?
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