Lessons from Tulsa SEED: Supporting Learning & Well-Being During COVID

This webinar, moderated by Dr. Iheoma Iruka of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spotlighted the work of Dr. Anna Johnson, Associate Professor at Georgetown University and principal investigator of the Tulsa SEED project. Since 2016, the Tulsa SEED study has been following approximately 1,000 children from low-income families from ages 3 to fourth grade to understand the effects of attending pre-K programs on children’s learning and development. At the onset of COVID, the study turned its attention to understanding the consequences of the pandemic on the children they had been following, all now in first grade. Key findings of the study indicate that: 

– 59% of children’s parents have experienced a decrease in household income;
– 49% have experienced food insecurity; 
– 1 in 4 parents have experienced depressive symptoms; and 
– 47% of parents said their children have experienced increased emotional or behavioral problems. 

Dr. Johnson indicated that parents who are worried about food access and who are depressed are more likely to struggle with the added burden of supporting remote learning. Indeed, 65% of low-income parents in the study indicated that they struggled during distance learning. Further, in looking at student progress in utilization of the popular Zearn math app, the greatest drop-off in educational engagement was among children in low-income areas. In discussing what can be done, Dr. Johnson spoke to the important work of schools and school districts in providing food, mental health resources and technology support and highlighted Tulsa Public Schools as a model.

Discussant, Dr. Deborah Gist, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS), provided details on how TPS has worked to mitigate the impacts of COVID on children’s learning, including prioritizing a wellness hotline and wellness supports for teachers and families. Dr. Gist shared key lessons from the pandemic that she hopes will shape a blueprint for how we think about public education moving forward — focusing on the whole child, establishing deeper relationships and more effective communication with families, and ensuring technology is accessible to all. 

Discussant Dr. Cindy Decker, Executive Director of Tulsa Educare and strong advocate for including 3-year old’s in the Tulsa Study, highlighted the impacts of COVID on parents’ mental health and incidents of adverse childhood experiences, or ACES. Given that most early childhood programs have closed due to COVID, Dr. Decker expressed concern that there are fewer opportunities to identify children and families that need support to mitigate ACES. 

Discussant Emma Kain reacted to the Tulsa SEED findings on food insecurity and shared the work of United Way of Wapello County, Iowa. In partnership with the YMCA, United Way not only supported food pantries but also an innovative effort by the YMCA to help students, ages 3–18, manage their feelings and emotions during this difficult time — an effort that included providing daily journals in the food bags to young students. The journals promoted the use of emojis and a “feeling scale” to describe how young people were feeling every day. Those journals were reviewed by staff members at the YMCA and served as a way to have “eyes on kids” and families who might need support. Dr. Iruka closed the session by engaging the panel in a discussion around issues of race and equity. 

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