Mar 27 2025 20 mins 4
Five years after California schools shut their doors because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most districts in California still struggle to recover the ground they lost.
At the same time, they face multiple challenges: soaring mental health difficulties, increased absenteeism, a decline in enrollment, and uncertain finances.
Despite these challenges, one school principal in San Jose sees hope and promise in his school, which his team reimagined during the pandemic.
Guests:
- Vito Chiala, Principal, Overfelt High School, East Side Union High School District
- John Fensterwald, Editor-at-large, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
- Covid’s long shadow in California: Chronic absences, student depression and the limits of money
- How Covid changed teaching in California: fewer pencils, more technology
- How Covid’s mental health toll transformed California’s schools
- Find the whole series here: Five Years Later: Covid's Lasting Impact on Education
Education Beat is a weekly podcast, hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
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