Parents Warn of Pandemic’s Lasting Effect on Childrens’ Education

Frustration Growing Among Parents with how Schools are Handling Closures

Boston, MA— Parents are sounding the alarm about their child’s education during the pandemic with 7 in 10 parents saying they are worried that the changes in learning during the pandemic will have a lasting effect. Additionally, 68% are concerned about their child staying on track in school, and half now say their child is learning less.

The concern comes at the same time that more than a third (35%) of parents say their children are receiving less than 4 hours of instruction time per school day. That number grows to 39% among remote only students. The majority of parents (63%) also feel their child should be getting more instructional time with their teachers.

On the issue of closures, 60% say they understand why schools closed in the spring, but are growing more frustrated with how schools are handling the closures as the year goes on.

“We must demand of our school leaders: who is willing to fight for the needs of the powerless many, rather than advance the agenda of the powerful few? While millions of kids continue to be left behind, special interest groups continue to play the same old games,” said Keri Rodrigues, co-founder and President of the National Parents Union. “We are long past due to reimagine what education looks like in this country, and in order to accomplish that worthy goal, parents need to continue to make their voices heard, continue to shine a light on the inequity that plagues the system, and call into question why complacency is a more common trait than competency in our schools.”

POLITICAL SPLIT ON VACCINES

• 60% of parents say they will get their children COVID-19 vaccines when they become available, although only 31% say they will do so right away
• 75% of parents who are Democrats say they will get their child vaccinated, while only 56% of parents who are Republicans say they will do so.
• Half of all parents say a vaccine is necessary for them to feel safe sending their child back to school

GOOD GRADES FOR LEARNING PODS

• 16% of parents have at least one child in a learning pod
• 80% of those parents say the learning pod has been helpful for their child’s education

ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED

• 37% of parents say they or another adult spends at least 3 hours per day helping with schoolwork or providing additional instruction
• 43% of parents of K-5 students spend at least 3 hours per day helping
• 15% have hired someone to help their children with learning
• Nearly half of those who haven’t hired someone would do so if they had the resources

December 10-18, 2020

N=1008 parents of public school students K-12

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