Will students bounce back from pandemic?

The divide among education researchers over how COVID-19 is impacting students isn’t just a matter of whether they see the glass as half-filled or half emptied. It’s whether the glass is still in one piece or been slammed against the wall and shattered.

Some researchers and education advocates believe COVID will have devastating and long-lasting impacts on kids. That camp uses the terms “lost year” and “learning loss” and cites worrisome income models, including the World Bank’s projection that without effective policies, children worldwide could collectively see lifecycle earnings plummet $10 trillion...