Why Oregon schools' pandemic recovery lags behind much of the nation

Sitting in his living room with his mom, fourth grader Judah Moisan holds up a post-it note where he's written the words "Priority," and "Frenzy."

They're song titles, he explains, for his first album with his future punk rock band, which will be called Siblings of War. Judah plays bass. Their band will be kind of like Green Day, he says, except made up of ten-year-olds instead of "old guys." Obviously.

Just writing down these song names is a small act of progress for this future rock star. Judah has...