"The pandemic dramatically interrupted K-12 education for all students across the state and led to a range of academic, social, physical, and mental and behavioral health impacts. The Washington State Academy of Sciences (the WSAS) and the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (the Center) are engaging in a collaborative project to help researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and others understand the impacts of Covid-19 on Washington’s children and apply lessons learned to future emergencies. Together through this project, WSAS and the Center aim to understand the impacts of the pandemic on children, which can then inform the policies and practices needed to improve the long-term social, emotional, and educational outcomes of students, especially those disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in Washington State.  

In particular, the WSAS’s role is to review and synthesize the key research findings describing the evolving impacts of the pandemic on children in WA state. We will also identify where more research is needed to inform new policies, strategies, and programs. Tristan Fehr (cc’ed), an Associate Program Officer at WSAS, will be the staff lead for this process.  

Our next step in this process is to create an Advisory Committee of experts to oversee WSAS’s compilation of research on this topic, identify gaps in the research, and potentially recommend where new research is needed." On behalf of the WSAS, SDA Member David A. Swanson was invited to join this Committee. 

(text copied from email correspondence)