Policymakers have renewed calls for expanding instructional time in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We establish a set of empirical facts about time in school, synthesize the literature on the causal effects of instructional time, and conduct a case study of time use in an urban district. On average, instructional time in U.S. public schools is…

As the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, rapidly spread across the globe in Spring 2020, one of the most widely implemented risk reduction measures utilized was to physically close all school buildings. Reopening America's public schools for site-based instruction safely amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (without a vaccine) is remarkably…

During the 2020-21 school year, COVID-19 forced Virginia's school divisions to adapt to unprecedented circumstances, which led many divisions to deviate from the typical five-day-a-week pre-pandemic school schedule with all students attending school in person each day. In-person learning is superior to remote learning in promoting student…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic intensified in March 2020, districts nationwide have faced the difficult task of reopening schools safely and keeping them open. Now, districts must accelerate student learning and attend to the trauma and loss experienced by students and families. This brief describes reopening efforts in Tulsa Public Schools, which…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education that was held to discuss how to overcome obstacles to safely reopen schools. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Rick W. Allen, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary…

Research has demonstrated the importance of schools for child well-being, and teachers across the province are working hard to meet the needs of all students in their classrooms. However, school communities are threatened where key health and safety measures are still not in place to protect against the risks of COVID-19. Almost 9 in 10 public…

As COVID-19 struck the United States in March 2020, sending the nation into lockdown, worry about the fate of private schools was high. These schools, which only survive if people can pay for them, seemed to face deep trouble. To gauge how the private schooling sector has fared amid the coronavirus pandemic, Cato's Center for Educational Freedom…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in March 2020, districts across the nation have faced the difficult task of reopening school sites safely for in-person instruction and keeping them open as community infection rates have risen and fallen. It is useful to learn from the efforts of districts that have been able to reopen schools--and keep them…

The 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. State-level data are also available for public schools, principals, and teachers. NTPS collects data on core topics including teacher and…

The 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) is a nationally representative survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. State-level data are also available for public schools, principals, and teachers. NTPS collects data on core topics including teacher and…

According to the American Community Survey (ACS), about a quarter (26 percent) of the population of the United States over the age of three was enrolled in school in 2018. This report brings together the latest data from both the ACS and the Current Population Survey (CPS), two complementary Census Bureau surveys that provide data on school…

National organizations in the United States issued policy proposals for returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative review, using the constant comparison model, examined six policies from different organizations. The policies operate on the notion of a progressive curriculum, with the values of equity, access, and adaptations…

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) recommends that districts consider a variety of alternative models, strategies and schedules for the reopening of public schools for fall 2020. Designing and planning early will be key to a successful reopening. Each school district may have a customized plan for reopening that best fits its students,…

With Massachusetts' school closure extending until the end of the 2019-20 academic year, Pioneer Institute urges that Massachusetts schools offer meaningful online and virtual learning programs, doing everything possible to eliminate problematic inconsistencies across Bay State school districts. Pioneer further urges Massachusetts to develop and…

The 2024 North Carolina Education Primer serves as a fact-based guide to public education in North Carolina. The Primer provides a comprehensive overview of how education policy is made, along with the current state of public education and the policies guiding it. The Forum produces this guide in order to inform current policymakers, candidates…