Secondary Education in the USA: What it is in 2022?

After a year that involved a global pandemic, school closures, remote learning, protests, and an election, the future of education has never been more uncertain. When it comes to secondary education, what will education look like in 2022? To get an idea of what 2022 will hold for students and educators, there are a few primary considerations. While it may be impossible to predict the future, these projections are based on current data and trends.

As the Pandemic Subsides

Although case numbers were soaring towards the end of 2021, it is predicted that numbers will start to decrease in 2022. Many schools decided to go back to remote learning initially but will likely return to in-person classes within a few months. However, the remote learning that took place in 2021 and some of 2022 indicates a sharp need for schools to address gaps and disparities between their students. School leaders became acutely aware that the balance of their work was off.

As schools come back to in-person learning, 2022 will be a time of change. Focusing more than ever on the identity and health of the whole youth in secondary school is going to be the main focus. Educators need to design support systems that can reduce inequity on multiple levels. They anticipate that regardless of remote or in-person learning, their system needs to be prepared for these challenges in the future. It’s anticipated that schools will be working to address these concerns.

Technological Advances

One of the challenges seen with remote learning was that technology was lagging behind in many of the school systems. As technology became a major part of how secondary students learned and communicated, educators have had to think strategically about how to deploy the technology. When thinking about technology and equality, many educators found that students did not have access to the technology that they needed in order to learn. This prompted many school systems to provide tablets, computers, or other tools to their students in order to ensure that they stayed up-to-date with classwork.

Even though in-person learning may be returning in 2022, educators will continue to explore the benefits and limitations of technology. Using methods that promote a variety of learning styles, their work will be more flexible than ever before and focus on providing the optimal education experience for every student.

Growth for Teachers

The pandemic was challenging for both students and teachers as both of these groups learned that human connections and interactions are the heart of education. At this time, it’s become amazingly clear that the role of teachers in the school community simply can’t be replaced. The next few years will likely see a greater investment in educators overall. The additional support of the school will be needed in order to make learning possible. The individuals who teach often felt that they could not perform their job adequately when they were using online or distance learning instead of being in the classroom.

In 2022, teachers are going to receive more funding and support from their school systems in order to accomplish their jobs. This will provide multiple benefits for the entire system. From improved technology to simply having the supplies that they need to succeed, teachers will be able to have more flexibility and growth in their styles and be able to implement methods that really work for their students. They’ll be growing professionally as well and seek out opportunities to ensure that they remain effective educators even when using remote learning methods.

Consistent Change

Finally, secondary education is going to look unpredictable in 2022. With schools going back in person and then going to remote learning, it’s going to be unsure what method works best for systems in 2022. While it’s likely that students will go back to in-person learning eventually, the first few months of the year will see a huge variety. Students who test positive, even asymptomatically, can expect to have more time in remote learning. They’ll also have to maintain social distancing, mask-wearing, and regular COVID testing for the foreseeable future.

In general, 2022 is going to be a year of growth but also challenges for educators and their students. While it’s anticipated that there will be improvements in the system, expect these changes to be challenging to the system and its participants over the next year.