Mainstreaming Parental Involvement in Post-Pandemic : Resolving Learning Loss with the Partnership Model in Elementary Schools

: This research aims to find best practices for using the partnership model to solve learning loss during a pandemic in elementary schools. The method of research was descriptive with a qualitative approach. Collecting data using interview techniques. The main instrument in this research was the researcher himself. The informants in the study were twenty-seven teachers from nine elementary schools in the districts of Central Lombok, West Lombok, and the City of Mataram. The research stages consist of data collection, condensation, presentation


Introduction
Learning loss is a term used to describe a phenomenon of a decrease in students' academic ability. According to (Pier et al., 2021) a decrease in academic ability in learning loss is marked by a significant decrease in knowledge and skills. Furthermore (Pier et al., 2021) says that learning loss can occur if the learning system cannot provide learning progress for students compared to the previous year. Learning loss has resurfaced with the closure of schools and the implementation of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic (Donnelly & Patrinos, 2022); (Turner et al., 2020). These two policies have disrupted the established education system, so they have the potential to cause learning loss among students. UNESCO (2020) has reported that almost 94% of students worldwide have felt the impact of closing educational institutions. The remote learning emergency built could not provide significant learning progress, especially for elementary school students. In this case, the students who suffer the most are elementary school students. According to (Gore et al., 2021), the lower the education level, the greater the risk of learning loss occurring. It is reinforced by the opinion (Tomasik et al., 2021) that students at the elementary school level are the group most vulnerable to learning loss due to the closure of educational institutions and distance learning. It is alleged that elementary school students' unpreparedness for the distance learning model contributed to the emergence of learning loss (Widodo et al., 2020).
Facts show that post-pandemic students' literacy and numeracy abilities in primary schools have declined. It proves that learning loss has occurred in elementary schools. Researchers around the world have studied empirical facts about the occurrence of learning loss in elementary school students. Research (Schult et al., 2022) found that during the Covid-19 pandemic, fifth-grade elementary school students had a decline in math skills. Not only in math skills, (Schult et al., 2022) also found that students experienced decreased abilities in reading. Similar studies have also found a decrease in students' abilities in mathematics and reading (Kuhfeld et al., 2020). The study's results (Engzell et al., 2021) also found that the learning losses experienced by students were equivalent to one-fifth of the academic year. Based on some of the empirical research, it can be concluded that learning loss is not only a threat but has become a phenomenon that must find a solution.
After the pandemic, learning has recovered, namely by implementing face-to-face learning. However, the remnants of learning products during the pandemic (learning loss) are still being felt, namely a decrease in students' academic abilities. It follows the results of research (Dorn et al., 2020), which shows that students' academic abilities have decreased after the pandemic, so students need help to restore their abilities. The learning loss phenomenon is a very serious threat, so it should not be ignored (Hevia et al., 2022). With the reopening of schools after the pandemic, educators are encouraged to take productive and collaborative actions to overcome learning loss (Zhao, 2022). All parties must think about the right solution to solve the problem. According to (Wahyudi, 2021) education problems cannot be solved by educational institutions alone. Moreover, related to the learning loss phenomenon requires the contribution of all parties to solve it. One of the components that must be involved in this problem is the parents. Sujarwo et al., (2021) state that one form of parental involvement in education can be realized through a partnership model. The partnership model in education can be interpreted as a complex cross-institutional infrastructure built to support productive mentoring and learning and an awareness of each partner's role (Lillejord & Børte, 2016). Previous research has proven that the partnership model has a sizable contribution to improving the quality of learning in various parts of the world (Beauchamp et al., 2015); (Xu & Connelly, 2017); (Pedregosa et al., 2020).
Based on the results of observations in three districts in the province of West Nusa Tenggara, several schools have implemented the partnership model as a solution to solving learning loss in elementary schools. The results of preliminary observations also show that this model is quite effective in tackling learning loss which is indicated by the improvement in students' literacy and numeracy skills. However, the partnership model that has been applied has not been tested scientifically. Therefore, this study aims to determine how the implementation of the partnership model is carried out by schools and its effectiveness in reducing post-pandemic learning loss. Through this research, it is expected to find best practices in implementing the partnership model to reduce learning loss in elementary schools. The best practices found are expected to be a reference for other schools in dealing with learning loss in their respective schools. Other schools need to get information about the success of this model in solving learning loss.

Research Method
The method of research used was descriptive with a qualitative approach. In qualitative research, quantification is not used to understand the phenomenon under study. It follows the opinion (Creswell, 2013) that qualitative research describes, explores, and understands the meaning several individuals or groups ascribe to social or humanitarian issues. Creswell, (2013) says that the qualitative research process involves important efforts, such as asking questions and procedures, collecting specific data from participants, and analyzing data inductively, from specific to general themes and interpret the meaning of the data. Informants in this study were 27 elementary schools. Data was collected in three districts: West Lombok, Central Lombok, and Mataram City. Each district selected three elementary schools as research locations. Determination of research locations by considering a partnership model in schools. The schools studied were schools that have implemented the post-pandemic partnership model. The following can be presented as schools used for research data collection:  (Ridder, 2014 ;Hashimov, 2015). Data analysis took place since data collection. At this stage, data unrelated to the research focus was immediately removed. During data reduction, the researcher summarized and selected important findings relevant to the research focus. The data was then grouped and arranged systematically according to the theme so that a more easily understood pattern was formed. The reduced data was then displayed in the form of simple sentences. In the final stage, the researcher concluded by interpreting the data and discussing it with relevant previous research. To maintain the validity of the data, researchers used the member check technique. Member check was done by re-confirming the data provided by the data provider so that the data obtained was verified (Birt et al., 2016). After data collection was completed, member checks were carried out through focus group discussions at each school.

Results and Discussion
Based on the search results in the field, it is known that this partnership model was implemented in schools long before the pandemic occurred. However, the intensity is still lacking. Before the pandemic, the partnership model focused on extra-curricular development, while after the pandemic, the partnership model focused on improving the quality of learning. It is inseparable from the phenomenon of learning loss during the pandemic. With learning loss during the pandemic, schools are committed to further strengthening the partnership model to resolve this learning loss. Teachers as educators realize that parental involvement in overcoming learning loss is essential. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a partnership model to strengthen the relationship between teachers and parents in resolving learning loss. The partnership model developed by teachers and parents focuses on strengthening literacy and numeracy. The pandemic affected elementary school students' literacy and numeracy abilities (Muryani et al., 2022). Literacy and numeracy are the main focus because, during the pandemic, there was a significant decline in literacy and numeracy skills. According to (Wahyuni & Tranggono, 2023), the decline in students' literacy and numeracy abilities was due to the lack of optimal learning during the pandemic. Therefore, the first step taken by schools is to restore post-pandemic students' literacy and numeracy abilities. It follows the government's program in the context of post-pandemic learning recovery by launching a new curriculum that emphasizes improving basic literacy and numeracy skills and strengthening essential material (Kurniati et al., 2022). It is inseparable from the importance of literacy and numeracy as basic abilities students must have in studying science and everyday life. The form of implementation of the partnership model developed by teachers and parents is the partnership model in learning and learning evaluation.

The Partnership Model in Learning Activities
Student learning activities consist of two, namely, learning at school and learning at home. In learning activities at school, the teacher is the main person in charge, while in learning activities at home, the parents are responsible. Each element has its duties and responsibilities mutually agreed upon so students can study well. To ensure that learning activities at home are carried out properly, the teacher designs learning activities so students can learn together with their parents (Ribeiro et al., 2021). Parents have been given guidance in carrying out joint study activities at home to resolve learning loss. The design of learning activities prepared by the teacher focuses on practice questions and independent learning activities to improve students' literacy and numeracy skills. Parents are in charge of guiding and accompanying children while studying at home. Another role that is no less important in this partnership model is parents as motivators (Mak, 2021). As a motivator, parents are responsible so that students who experience learning loss are always enthusiastic about learning (Garbe et al., 2020). It is because one of the factors determining the success of learning is the enthusiasm for learning from the students themselves. Therefore, the role of parents as motivators in this partnership model is vital.
The partnership model in learning designed by the teacher aims to increase the role of parents in learning. Parents are encouraged to care more about their children's education after the pandemic (Spector et al., 2021). Parents are also used as role models in home education so that the partnership model that is designed can be carried out properly. Parents' example has been manifested by habituation, learning culture, and reading culture at home (Firmanto et al., 2020). The implementation of the partnership model that has been carried out by teachers and parents has been felt by students. This can be seen by the improvement in students' literacy and numeracy skills compared to the results of the diagnostic tests when face-to-face learning was first carried out. With the application of the partnership model in learning, the average reading and numeracy skills of students have increased. This is proof that the use of the partnership model in learning can be used as a solution to solve learning loss.

The Partnership Model in Learning Evaluation
The partnership model in the field of evaluation aims to allow teachers and parents to monitor the learning progress of students who experience post-pandemic learning loss together. The evaluation technique in the partnership model is that the teacher and parents fill out the learning outcomes assessment form and compile an assessment report together. Teachers have developed instruments that can be used to measure learning activities and student learning outcomes while studying at home. The instrument has instructions for using the main instrument and indicators to measure student learning activities. Parents regularly report student progress from time to time. With techniques like this, teachers and parents can directly see children's learning progress. Teachers and parents can see the advantages and disadvantages generated in learning so that the alternative solutions are right on target. The results obtained from this partnership model-based evaluation are that teachers and parents can design follow-up plans to improve learning, especially in literacy and numeracy (Whelehan, 2020). Based on the evaluation results, teachers and parents group students based on their abilities and design solutions according to student needs. In this partnership model, parents are assessors, decision-makers, and solution designers.
The form of the partnership model in learning and evaluation carried out by teachers and post-pandemic people in elementary schools can be described as follows:

Figure 1. Scheme of Parental Involvement in The Partnership Model
Based on the scheme in Figure 1, the role of parents in the partnership model can be optimized to solve learning loss. Optimizing the role of parents is carried out through learning assistance and involvement in the implementation of evaluations. The responsibility for education falls not only on the teacher but must involve parents to the fullest (Cashman et al., 2021). In learning numeracy, parental involvement is needed so that students can understand knowledge well (Panaoura, 2020). Teachers and parents must synergize and support each other so that the learning loss phenomenon can be resolved together. Ribeiro et al. (2021) suggested that parents invest sufficient time in helping children learn. It is one of the challenges where parents often reason they are busy with work, so they do not have enough time to assist their children at home.
Forms of support from schools include providing regular learning services, providing learning facilities at schools, and counseling guidance services. The findings of this study indicated that in the partnership model, the role of parents is optimized through learning and involvement in learning evaluation. This model's application effectively increases literacy and numeracy skills which had decreased due to learning loss. This model is quite effective because, in practice, parents play a very active role as mentors, motivators, and role models. Previous research has proven that the role of parents as mentors in learning is very effective in improving students' academic abilities (Xiong et al., 2021). The role of parents as a motivator has also been extensively researched and proven to be effective in determining student learning success (Warren & Locklear, 2021); (Ata-Aktürk & Demircan, 2021); (Zedan, 2021); (Sujarwo et al., 2022). As role models, parents play a role in creating a good learning culture at home. According to research results, with a good learning culture, children's literacy and numeracy abilities can develop well (Ahmad et al., 2021). As for the field of evaluation, parents can act as assessors, decision-makers, and solution designers. According to (Haisraeli & Fogiel-Bijaoui, 2021), parental involvement in evaluating learning is a new hope for educational progress. Moreover, in the post-pandemic learning loss phenomenon, parents must be actively involved in evaluation so that parents can make the maximum contribution to improving the quality of education.
Based on the findings of this study, best practices were obtained that can be used by other schools to resolve post-pandemic learning loss in elementary schools. A best practice that other schools can adopt is that schools are expected to be able to involve parents in the learning process as well as in the evaluation process. Teachers and schools must build cooperation with parents of students in carrying out post-pandemic learning recovery, especially in literacy and numeracy learning. Parents should be positioned as the main partner in solving learning loss. Parents in learning should be involved as mentors, motivators, and role models while students are studying at home. Parents can be involved as assessors, decision-makers, and solution designers in the evaluation aspect. The success of schools in West Nusa Tenggara in improving students' literacy and numeracy skills can inspire other schools to implement the same partnership model in their respective schools.

Conclusion
The partnership model found in the research focuses on efforts to improve students' literacy and numeracy skills. Literacy and numeracy are the main focus because, during the pandemic, literacy and numeracy skills have decreased. The partnership model is implemented through two main activities: optimizing parental involvement in learning and involving parents in evaluating learning. These two variants are best practices schools apply to recover from post-pandemic learning loss.

Recommendation
In minimizing learning loss, it is recommended that schools involve parents in post-pandemic learning and evaluation. It is suggested that the Education Office issue a policy so that school committees and learning committees are strengthened again to assist schools in building collaboration with parents of students. For future researchers, developing a practical guide on implementing the partnership model in elementary schools is suggested.