Education chief: ‘We must make up for lost time’ in schools

By COLLIN BINKLEY
AP Education Writer

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says the nation’s schools must act more urgently to help millions of students who have fallen behind during the pandemic. In his words, “We must make up for lost time.” Cardona, a former teacher himself, used a speech Thursday from department headquarters to lay out his priorities. He said striving to keep schools open is no longer enough. And he urged schools to use billions of dollars in federal aid to expand tutoring and mental health counseling, and to close achievement gaps that have worsened during the coronavirus pandemic. He said the goal is to make schools stronger than they were before.