I’VE SEEN THE LOCKDOWNS AND THE DAMAGE DONE: More students are in ‘big, big trouble’ in reading, math, and they’re not catching up. “Children who were in kindergarten and first grade when the pandemic first hit are now in third and fourth grade, said Huff. Those who missed out on phonics and phonemic awareness can’t cope. ‘If you’re two or more grade levels below in grade three, you’re in big trouble. You’re in big, big, big trouble.'”