School districts across the United States have reported the number of students failing classes has risen many times higher than usual numbers.English language learners, as well as disabled and poor students, are suffering the most.Erik Jespersen is principal of McNary High School in the state of Oregon.At his school, 38 percent of grades in late October were failing, compared with 8 percent in normal times.Educators see a number of reasons for the change.Students learning from home often miss assignments ― or school completely.Internet availability is limited or not effectively established, making it difficult to complete and upload assignments.And teachers who do not see their students in person have fewer ways to note who is falling behind.That is especially true with many students keeping their cameras off during online classes.The increase in failing grades has been seen in districts of all sizes around the country.At Jespersen's school in the Salem-Keizer Public School district, hundreds of students at first had grade scores of 0.0 percent.
