More than a year after schools were forced to shut down, districts continue to grapple with reopening plans, and are reckoning with the systemic problems magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disrupted: How COVID Changed Education explores the impact of the pandemic on the nation’s schools, students and educators. The special featured teen voices, with a focus on the issues that affected young people, from learning loss to mental health challenges. 

In these videos, students share how the pandemic has affected their lives, the hardships they faced and how they have coped and learned to overcome during an unprecedented school year.

Use the videos and activities provided to learn how to critically think about how COVID has impacted your education.

Hosted by Amna Nawaz, senior national correspondent, and primary substitute anchor for the PBS NewsHour. Special guests for the event include PBS NewsHour National Correspondent William Brangham, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, journalist Taylor Trudon, high profile social media content creators including Curtis Roach and Taylor Cassidy, and students and teachers from across the country.