Harlem and Rockford Public School District officials are coming together to discuss what effects the pandemic had on their students in comparison to students across the state.

The past couple of years have been hard for everyone, especially students. They lost months of learning when the pandemic started, then had an entire year of remote classes. Local school district leaders shared the trauma on their students Wednesday. They stressed the importance of understanding the impact COVID-19 has caused, where schools are now and what work is ahead.

On Wednesday, local education leaders met at Rockford University for a presentation and discussion hosted in collaboration with the non-profit organization Advance Illinois, Alignment Rockford, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Rockford Public Schools, Harlem School District and Rockford University.

Throughout the hearing, school leaders, educators, parents, and advocates pushed for an increase of about $700 million — $120 million for early education and $550 million toward K-12 schools — to the state’s overall education budget for fiscal year 2024, which starts in June 2023.

We're about to enter the fourth school year of the pandemic. Data is emerging not just about how COVID-19 is impacting students now, but how the pandemic has altered the trajectory of their education experience.