Extend school year so students can catch up

Finally, after nearly a year of remote and hybrid learning upended education for students across Massachusetts, state officials have a plan to return kids to the classroom.

It’s been a tough year on parents, and a tougher one on students, many of whom struggled with internet service and maintaining focus and engagement without personal interaction with teachers.

Late last year, district officials found a 4.6% increase in failing grades in four core subjects (social studies, math, language arts and science) at Boston Public Schools.

The first quarter marking period for Boston students in grades 6-12 wrapped up in November, and found the rate of students failing at least one class also increased

Now, Commissioner Jeff Riley told members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Tuesday that he plans to ask Gov. Charlie Baker for authority to phase out hybrid and remote school models.

Elementary students could be back this April.

It’s great news that children could resume the school year actually in school — but how to make up for the learning deficit brought about by months and months of remote classes?

Parochial and private schools have been in session, and families of means have turned to pod learning with private tutors teaching small in-home groups. This year exacerbated income disparities and the educational disadvantages of economically vulnerable groups.

We should not only return children to the classroom, but extend this school year into the summer so the students who’ve done poorly in the online learning model can have a chance to catch up.