Newark Schools Rebound Five Years After Pandemic Shutdown

Five years after COVID-19 emptied Newark’s school hallways and thrust 35,000 students into an unprecedented remote learning experiment, educators, students, and parents are reflecting on the long road to academic recovery. While test scores have finally returned to pre-pandemic levels, the journey has revealed both lasting scars and unexpected silver linings that continue to shape the city’s educational landscape.

“We saw a huge drop in our test scores when we began testing again after the pandemic was over. Last year, we’re back up to pre-pandemic levels, but it’s taken five years to get there,” said Park Elementary School Principal Amy Panitch in an interview with ABC7 New York. This milestone marks a significant achievement for a district that, like many across the country, faced unprecedented disruption.

The Academic and Emotional Toll

When Newark schools closed on March 16, 2020, what was initially presented as a two-week pause stretched into months of virtual learning. The shift was particularly challenging for younger students developing foundational skills. Teacher Maritza Barahona recalled the difficulties of teaching basic writing skills through a screen: “I see that you are not holding the pencil with three fingers, can you try, look at me, like this. If you don’t know the foundation, then how can you read, how can you comprehend, how can you test?”

Beyond academics, the isolation took an emotional toll on students of all ages. Janelle Figueroa, who was in third grade when the pandemic began, reflected on her experience: “I went through a stage of sadness because I wasn’t able to be around my friends, I was isolated and I would isolate myself from everything else.”

The pandemic’s impact was particularly severe for Newark’s most vulnerable students. According to the Center for New York City Affairs, the city’s youth disconnection rate—the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds neither working nor in school—jumped sharply from 15.6% in 2019 to 22% in 2021. While the national average has since recovered, Newark’s rate remains above pre-pandemic levels.

Learning Loss and Recovery Efforts

The pandemic’s academic impact was substantial and uneven. Newark Public School District students lost approximately half a grade level in reading and more than a full grade level in math between 2019 and 2023, with lower-income students experiencing the most significant setbacks.

“Virtual school was probably the worst thing that ever happened,” one young person told researchers. “A lot of kids dropped out because of it, there were a whole lot of absences, everyone’s on their phone. We [had] a choice to make, and [not everybody] made the right choice.”

To address these gaps, the district implemented a range of recovery programs, including before and after-school tutoring and Saturday classes. These interventions focused not only on academic needs but also on social and emotional learning, recognizing the pandemic’s multifaceted impact on student development.

Silver Linings and Lasting Changes

Despite the challenges, educators and families have identified positive outcomes from the pandemic experience. For parent Jaime Santiago Jr., the pandemic’s early months provided rare quality time with his family: “I was kind of heartbroken because I had them all this time, you really don’t have a chance to do that with your kids, cause they’re in school and you’re at work.”

The crisis also accelerated technological adoption in ways that continue to benefit students. “We were able to use [technology] for many more purposes,” Principal Panitch noted. “Even just conferencing with a student, giving feedback to students.” These digital tools have now been integrated into regular classroom practices, enhancing communication between teachers and students.

Teacher Barahona believes the experience has strengthened the district’s resilience: “We are better prepared now moving forward. If something, it taught us was how to be resilient, let’s take action and let’s do this.”

Long-Term Implications

The full impact of pandemic learning disruptions may not be known for years. Research cited by the Center for New York City Affairs indicates that by their 30s, individuals who were disconnected from education and employment in their youth earn significantly less ($38,400 less annually), are less likely to own homes, and report poorer health outcomes than their connected peers.

For Newark, a city where 18.4% of teens and young adults were already disconnected before the pandemic—7.5 percentage points higher than the national average—addressing these educational gaps remains crucial for long-term community prosperity.

As Newark’s educational community marks this five-year milestone, the focus has shifted from crisis management to applying lessons learned. The pandemic experience has reinforced the critical importance of in-person learning while simultaneously expanding the district’s digital toolkit and resilience strategies—changes that will shape education in Newark long after the public health emergency has faded from headlines.