Fresno students are ‘already’ falling behind, teachers say despite good attendance

Robert Vasquez’s seventh-graders have a shot at winning a $5 Starbucks gift card every week. Students only have to turn on their camera during math and science virtual lessons to qualify for the raffle.

Still, the Tioga Middle School teacher said, most students keep their cameras off.

“It’s been difficult. I don’t know at times if they’re participating,” the Fresno-native told The Bee. “I started doing this the second or third week of school. It’s been working a little better.”

During the first four weeks of the school year, Fresno Unified School District’s attendance numbers increased each week, which is the opposite of what happened during the spring semester when campuses shut down in March to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

But teachers The Bee spoke with said they worry the attendance numbers might be misleading because most of the time they’re staring at black screens wondering whether students on the other end are even there. To measure student engagement, Vasquez said he relies on the work students turn in.

“If it’s blank, it gives me the general idea they walked away from the computer and didn’t do the assignment but also means they didn’t understand it,” Vasquez said. “Generally, the impression I’m getting is they logged in and walked away afterwards.”

Lately, Vasquez said he’s been taking attendance at the end of class, so students don’t log off early.

“Just assuming they (students) are there doesn’t prove anything,” he said. “You go to school all those years in college, and they never teach you how to teach virtually. Every day I have to figure out something different. If something didn’t work that day, I have to work the next day to switch up the style on how I’m monitoring kids in class.”

The district does have a plan on how to engage students better. During the September 16 board meeting, trustees unanimously approved a Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan, which is now required by the state under SB-98.

According to the plan, teachers engaging students by connecting with families, providing daily and weekly schedules to families, opportunities for one-on-one help, and small group collaborations.

Teachers The Bee spoke with all said they follow the plan and also try to do more to reach and engage students. But some teachers, like Kings Canyon Middle School teacher Anna Jierian, said all they can do is hope students don’t just walk away from their computers.

Should Fresno students keep their cameras on during distance learning?

Fresno Unified, the third-largest district in California, does not require students to turn their cameras on during virtual lessons. Teachers The Bee spoke with all said most students keep the camera off.

“Like other district’s around the state, we recommend students keep their camera’s on, but do not require it,” Fresno Unified spokesperson Amy Isdvoog told The Bee in an email. “There is a growing body of research that supports not making it a requirement, but the District is further exploring the subject.”

No more than five of Vasquez’s students have their cameras on during each class period, he said. Jierian, who teaches seventh-grade English, said 95% to 98% of her students also keep cameras turned off.

Edison High School teacher Heather Miller also said she doesn’t see most of her students’ faces during distance learning. She calls on her students to answer questions and says, “sometimes it’s like crickets.”

“The hardest part for me is not being able to see kids’ faces. I can’t read the room,” Miller told The Bee. “Kids don’t want to turn on their camera. I don’t push it hard. There’s a lot of valid reasons not to have a camera on.”

Mandating a student to turn their camera on is like forcing yourself into their homes, Miller said. Students could be in a crowded and noisy environment, she added, or just feel self-conscious being on camera because they haven’t been able to get their hair cut or maintenanced due to coronavirus restrictions.

Jierian said some of her students have had to leave during virtual lessons to help their younger siblings with schoolwork or food.

“It’s just a weird experience to have a class and not know what most of your students look like and just stare at yourself in front of a black screen all day,” Jierian said.

Jierian has about two students per class who have never shown up, she said. She’s reached out to contact them but hasn’t received responses. Some students are always tardy.

To engage his sixth-grade students, Kirk Elementary School teacher Jacques Cormier said he spends a lot of time trying to build relationships. He asks his students what their goals are, what they need to be more successful in school, and he lets students grade his teaching.

“These are all relationship builders,” Cormier said. “I’ve gone to kids’ houses with a mask on and gave them whiteboards, some cookies, headphones. Giving resources goes a long way with kids to show up in your classroom.”

Fresno teacher: ‘I’m very concerned kids are getting behind’

Vasquez gave out the first exam two weeks ago and said student success depends on class attendance. Most of his students scored 70% or higher, but those who were consistently absent or tardy had lower scores. About 25% of his students are regularly late to class, Vasquez said

“I’m very concerned kids are getting behind,” he said. “I already see it happening. It’s a thought I wake up with every morning.”

It’s difficult to pinpoint which students are struggling to understand the material, he said, because he can’t walk around the classroom to see who looks lost and confused.

Miller, who teaches AP world history and women and gender studies, said the number of students turning in assignments “hasn’t been great. It’s definitely a bit of a problem.”

Students struggle to work independently and are dealing with many distractions and internet issues at home, Miller said. Learning online is not something most students are used to, and after being on the computer all day, some are getting headaches, having body aches, or fatigue, she said.

Miller said more students would probably be pushed through to the next grade even though they might not know the material.

“If we push juniors and seniors too hard, I’m afraid they will drop out,” she said. “I hope I’m wrong. I’m trying to be very mindful. Families are in turmoil, so we have to be flexible about that, too.”

Every day, Miller calls or sends messages to students who don’t show up for class to figure out why they were absent and how she can help.

“But let’s face it, a lot of these things were already happening,” she said. “We just didn’t see it the same way. This has made inequality greater for some, and for others, it might actually help.”

Well before the global pandemic Fresno Unified has had chronic absenteeism rates that, at one point, nearly doubled the state average. To be considered chronically absent, a student had to miss more than 10% of the school year.

During the 2016-17 school year, 17.8% of Fresno Unified students were chronically absent, according to data from the California Department of Education. That same school year, 10.8% of students in the state were chronically absent.

Fresno Unified’s chronic absenteeism rate dropped slightly in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years to 17.1%. However, the state-wide percentages continue to climb. In the 2017-18 school year, 11.1% of California public school students were chronically absent and 12.1% of students in the 2018-19 school year.

Fresno Unified attendance numbers during the first few weeks of the last school year, before in-person classes were disrupted, were significantly higher than this year. Although these numbers aren’t comparable because distance learning is something that’s never been done on the current scale.

School districts across the county have had to find ways to make education more equitable. That includes finding internet connections, computers, and food for every student.

Fresno Unified has experimented with putting busses equipped with WiFi in the south part of the city, where internet connectivity is weaker. The district has also looked into building its own cell towers to also boost internet connectivity.

Idsvoog told The Bee the district could have an update on these plans in the next few weeks.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Read more from The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published September 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.