It really is that bad though...my son's teacher admitted that school this year has been almost entirely small group learning and teaching because all the kids are at completely different academic levels so they've thrown the normal curriculums out because their focus is to get all the students to the appropriate grade level in basic competencies like reading, comprehension and math. That will ultimately hurt all of the kids because the ones who are behind are under pressure to grasp a year to two years worth of competencies while kids who are at the appropriate level are being inadequately prepared for their next grade level.
You can only fault parents who full out neglected their children's education because most parents are not equipped to work full time as well as be supplemental teachers. Also, kids had no experience learning in a remote environment, especially the young ones, teaching in your foundational years is done in a very collective and participation type of manner. Technology issues and environment distractions make that style of teaching fairly impossible in a remote format. Not to mention the schools who attempted to do hybrid learning where they alternate groups of children on a physical and remote schedule, forcing teachers to maintain multiple curriculums and attempt to juggle sufficient attention to those physically present and those online.
During the pandemic I was very much for remote learning for my kids because it was convenient and safer but after going through the struggles of the first half of a full school year back in school with a new 4th grader and high school freshman - I've seen first hand the damage that was done to this generation's educational background and what that could potentially mean for the future.
We're doing a full 180, we'll be sending our kids to school as much as possible during this time as its taken this long to get back into the regular habits of behavior, school work, personal responsibility and routine. And not surprising but my kids are in full agreeance with that. They hated remote learning and returning to the normal social aspect of school has greatly improved their attitudes and effort.
The only silver lining that I can see coming out of pandemic remote learning is a full revamp of standardized testing or school potentially doing away with them all together.