In a pandemic year marked by shuttered schools, technology barriers and staggered reopenings, failing grades and student absences have grown across Michiana. Course failures have more than doubled in the South Bend Community School Corp. this year and chronic absenteeism has âskyrocketed,â one administrator said. With in-person instruction increasing this month and the stateâs spring testing window around the corner, educators are using what theyâve learned over the last year to better understand learning loss and prepare for an eventual return to a more normal school year next fall. Still, challenges remain, such as shortages of teachers and reliable data.