When kids fall behind in math

Gambino (centre) helping her twin daughters, Giada (left) and Giuliana work on math worksheets as they go through homework from school in their home in Spring, Texas. — AP

ON a breezy morning in South Seattle, United States, a dozen elementary-aged students ran math relays behind an elementary school.

One by one, they raced to a table, where they scribbled answers to multiplication questions before sprinting back to high-five their teammate. These students are part of a summer programme run by the non-profit School Connect Washington, designed to help them catch up on math and literacy skills lost during the pandemic.