Studies have shown that the digital divide affects students' educational achievement across racial and ethnic groups. In light of this, the study investigates the effect of technology access at home on student learning hours during the COVID-19 pandemic and across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. The Household Pulse Surveys (HPS), conducted by…

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, digital connectivity is critical to student learning. Gaps in digital access--including reliable access to internet and a digital device--are a driving force in the educational inequities evident during distance learning. In this report, the authors use data on a sample of California households with children…

The data on COVID-19 show an irrefutable and disturbing pattern: Black Americans are contracting and dying from COVID-19 at rates that far exceed other racial and ethnic groups. Due to historical and current iterations of racism, Black Americans have been forced into conditions that elevate their risk for COVID-19 and consequently place Black…

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…

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…

Seeking to understand the experiences of educators, families, and students in K-12 public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wisconsin-Minnesota Comprehensive Center (WMCC)--working with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)--has developed the Safe Learning Survey that is being conducted at three intervals: Winter (February), Spring…

The widespread shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for digital technology at home. Students without adequate internet and computer access have experienced challenges participating in remote learning. This report presents information and insights about the digital divide for students in Washington. Although…

This report examines the meaning and impact of the digital divide -- the gap between those who can and cannot access the Internet -- on college students during the COVID-19 emergency shift to remote learning. The assessment is based on several national surveys conducted in the spring or summer of 2020, as well as results from a large-scale survey…

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…

Each year since 2003, Project Tomorrow, a global education nonprofit organization, facilitates the annual Speak Up Research Project on Digital Learning. A key aspect of the research project is to track the growth in student, educator, and parent interest in digital learning, as well as how our nation's schools and districts are addressing that…

Student surveys found that the educational experience in the first months of the pandemic was a mess. As schools quickly implemented remote learning last spring, many students experienced little meaningful online instruction and were unhappy with online classes. This brief from the Evidence Project synthesizes new student surveys that have come…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most students did not start college in the Fall of 2020 surrounded by other students who were also excited for the journey they were about to collectively undertake. Instead, for the large majority of students, their only interactions with their college campuses were through computer screens--and even for the few who…

The Education Trust-West partnered with Global Strategy Group to conduct a poll that tested a long list of potential concerns among parents amidst the coronavirus pandemic and found academic concerns rose to the top. Key findings in this infographic include: (1) In the immediate aftermath of school closures, California parents give positive…

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…

In March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic caused schools to close for the remainder of the school year, all Pennsylvania school districts and charter schools were required to "make good faith efforts to implement continuity of education plans for the duration of the 2019-20 school year." RFA analyzed these plans for each of the 43…