Preschool—viewed as potentially the great equalizer in education—got walloped in the pandemic. Kids disappeared from the rolls, and the loss was greatest in communities of color and poverty. But coming out of the shutdown, efforts are underway to recover and, perhaps, grow preschool post-pandemic.
Judah Israel Stokes was three when the pandemic struck, upending plans for him to follow his sister’s footsteps, literally, to preschool. Like districts throughout Ohio, Canton City went virtual, increasing demands on working and single parents. Mom, Dayree, said it was overwhelming.