The average American student is “less than halfway to a full academic recovery” from the effects of the Covid pandemic. That’s according to a 2024 report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Studies show that lockdown also took a toll on kids’ mental health, as well as social and emotional skills. And like other Covid impacts, these challenges often hit students of color the hardest. In the first of our series of shows examining the effects of the pandemic as we reach five years since lockdown, we’ll look at how children, adolescents and young adults are faring.

Guests:

Petra Steinbuchel, medical director, Mental Health and Child Development at Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland

Robin Lake, executive director, Center on Reinventing Public Education

Aria Rani Sindledecker, junior at Mountain View High School; youth mental health advocate

Emily Zavala, mental health and wellness coordinator, East Side Union High School District in San Jose