This fact sheet reports on distributed learning (DL), which is a method of teaching students outside of traditional schools using online and other electronic-based delivery methods. Two charts are presented to show that DL programs in public schools has dropped greatly, but student enrollment in DL programs in independent schools has skyrocketed.

The "Variations in District Strategies for Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic" study examined proposed strategies in districts' remote learning plans to ensure continuity and to better support remote learning in Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming. This study used document analysis to examine proposed strategies related…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston Independent School District (HISD) moved to online instruction as it closed its campuses and district offices until social distancing guidelines are lifted. HISD @ H.O.M.E. (Home-based Online Mobile Education) is designed to maintain productive instruction for students using computers, laptops, iPads,…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a near-total shutdown of the U.S. school system, forcing more than 55 million students to transition to home-based remote learning practically overnight. In most cases, that meant logging in to online classes and accessing lessons and assignments through a home internet connection. Sadly, that was not an option for…

In spring 2020, the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) reported on the perspectives of higher education professionals at the onset of the pandemic. In the early days of rapid transition to remote instruction and student services, professionals who work with disabled students reported widespread barriers to access that exceeded…

The resurgence of COVID-19 over the summer and the predicted fall increase in cases means that many districts will continue some form of distance learning for months to come. To help districts refine remote instruction, the authors explore key issues California families experienced around distance learning this spring. Using data from the Census…

These technical appendixes accompany the study, "Who Is Losing Ground with Distance Learning in California?" The study explores key issues California families experienced around distance learning in spring 2020. Using data from the Census Household Pulse Survey, a weekly survey conducted in 2020, the authors document how the COVID-19…

Rapid change became the norm in March 2020 when the wave of campus transitions began due to COVID-19. While some institutions started the move to remote education as early as February, others held off on transitions until May. Campuses faced another type of transition as plans for re-opening in the fall were underway amid the fluctuating reports…

The 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS)1 is a national survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers. Data were collected in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. NTPS collects data on core topics, including teacher and principal training, classes taught, school characteristics, and backgrounds of…

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and a public health emergency by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in March 2020 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2020). In the following months, families in the U.S. experienced financial hardships such as job and income loss, increasing food insecurity, and loss of…

University students have faced a challenging year, and the academic experience has been widely discussed. But higher education is much broader than just what happens in the lecture hall, with the benefits of the university experience coming from participation in extra-curricular activities, work placements and other enrichment activities, as well…

With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting education across the globe in early 2020, many educators found themselves rapidly transitioning to remote learning without the appropriate knowledge, skills or resources. For many higher education students, this resulted in less than optimal learning experiences. To ensure that high quality online learning is…

The Cowen Institute has conducted annual polls on perceptions of public education in New Orleans since 2007. These polls have served to provide insight on how parents and the general public feel about the highly decentralized K-12 public education system in New Orleans. Over time, we have monitored views on a wide range of topics, including school…

This technical report provides information about the sample, survey instrument, and resultant data for the American Instructional Resources Surveys (AIRS) that were administered to principals and teachers in Spring 2021 via RAND's American Educator Panels. The AIRS focused on instructional resources used and supported in English language arts,…

Defending the Early Years released a survey to better understand the impact COVID-19 has had on young children, their families, and their teachers. Schools, centers, and childcare providers were forced to close their doors as the world implemented social distancing measures to slow the spread of the new deadly virus. This survey was written to…