Back in March 2020, parents across the United States were told by school administrators that their kids would need to stay home for a couple of weeks while districts worked to mitigate the threat of the novel coronavirus that was sweeping through the country. Those two weeks turned into the rest of the school year, then, unbelievably, the entire first semester and, in some cases, the entirety of the following school year.

During this time, teachers and administrators scrambled to pivot their curriculum to a distance learning model that enabled students to log into applications like Zoom and Google Classroom to attend school via computer. Chromebooks, headphones and headsets were hastily purchased in bulk to allow each student to have the right equipment. Distance learning became the rule, not the exception, during COVID-19.The future of distance learning in a post-COVID society

A little over two and a half years since classrooms across America were forced to shut their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have finally returned to some semblance of normalcy. Students nationwide are back to in-person learning, and schools are once more filled with the happy voices of children. 

So, where does that leave distance learning now? For some students, it proved to be a better fit than traditional in-person learning. A number of online and hybrid education platforms like K12, Connections Academy and Fusion Global Academy continue to offer accredited distance learning programs for students who learn better outside of a classroom. 

For students who still want to attend school in person but could use a little additional help, there are a variety of supplemental education programs online, such as Khan Academy and Skooli. These distance learning platforms give students an opportunity to get up to grade level, or to get ahead if they need an extra challenge, all from the comfort of their own home.

For the youngest students, or those who haven’t even started school yet, there are a number of fun and educational online platforms to help with reading and math readiness skills such as alphabet and number recognition, all in an engaging, entertaining format that kids love! Programs such as ABCMouse and Learn and Play Montessori give preschoolers, pre-K students and kindergartners the head start they need in a comfortable and welcoming environment—their home!

The pandemic may be on its way out the door, but distance learning isn’t going anywhere. By empowering students with a choice for how and where they attend school, as well as offering online supplemental education, we can help close the learning loss gap and make students more confident in their abilities—as well as more prepared for achievement.