Think Tank discusses COVID and what’s happening in Arizona schools

The COVID pandemic has altered all of our lives, no more so than in our schools.

What is actually going on in our schools right now? How much is in-person learning, how much is remote? How are teachers and students adapting? To what extent is learning impaired? What are our children missing?

We have two guests, both practicing teachers. Each has also been involved in educational policy issues in other ways.

Beth Lewis teaches in the Tempe Elementary School District, in a school with a high proportion of kids who qualify for free or reduced price lunches. She has been a leader of Save our Schools, which successfully passed a Proposition in November which imposed an income tax surcharge on very high income taxpayers and earmarked the additional revenue for schools.

Christine Marsh teaches in a middle school gifted program in Scottsdale. She was 2016 Arizona Teacher of the Year. In November, she was elected to the Arizona State Senate from a central Phoenix legislative district.

We started out by asking these teachers about the classroom issues listed above. We then moved to policy issues and explored what changes these educational leaders would most like to see.

All things education in this week’s Think Tank.

The Think Tank airs on KTAR 92.3 FM on Saturdays 3-4 p.m. and Sundays 9-10 p.m.

Podcasts are available after broadcast.