Perspectives on K-12

Schooling During
C VID-19
Julia Kaufman, Senior Policy Researcher, RAND

1
Photo by Milaf via Adobe Stock Images
 In the spring, most teachers were not able contact all their students,
especially in schools with higher poverty and more minority students
% of Teachers Who Could Contact All or Nearly All Their Students

Grade Level Urbanicity Race/Ethnicity Poverty

71%
65% 62%
56% 59% 60%
52% 49%
48%
ry

y
ar

rt y

rt y
ta

nd
en

ve

ve
co
m

po

po
City Suburban Town &
Se
e
El

w
h
ig
Rural

Lo
H
Source: Hamilton, Kaufman, and Diliberti (June 2020)
2
Results: Spring 2020 2
 Internet access: Some states did better than others, but disparities were
greater in high poverty schools
Percentage of Teachers Estimating that All or Nearly All of their Students Have Access to the Internet
at Home, by School Poverty Level
100%
90%
80%
∙
70%
∙ ∙
∙
60%
50% ∙ ∙
40%
30% ∙ ∙
20%
10%
∙ ∙
0%
MA

TN

LA
NE

DE
RI

WI

NM
National

MS
Source: Stelitano, Doan, Woo, Diliberti, Kaufman & Henry (September 2020)

Results: Spring 2020 3

When teachers believed that more of their students had home internet
access, they reported better assignment completion
Relationship between Student Home Internet Access and Remote Learning Assignment
Completion
100%
Percentage of Teachers Indicating that +75% of Students Have

90%
Completed Assignments during Remote Learning

80%
RI
70%
WI
60% NE MA
National
50%
DE
40% MS NM

30%
LA TN
20%

10%

0%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Percentage of Teachers Indicating that All Students Have Home Internet Access

Results: Spring 2020 4

 Disparities exist among which students received remote instruction as
of Fall 2020.

Source:, Diliberti, Melissa and Julia Kaufman (November 2020)

Results: Fall 2020 5

 Students’ completion of assignments varied, depending on school
demographics and instruction models

Source:, Diliberti, Melissa and Julia Kaufman (November 2020)

6
Results: Fall 2020
ADDITIONAL SLIDES

Conclusion 7
 Our teacher survey data indicated that students’ learning
experiences were likely limited by COVID-19, more so in the spring
than the fall

Spring 12% 46% 17%

Fall 19% 16% 4%
of teachers covered of teachers 
all or nearly all of said instruction was
provided
intended more than half
no feedback
curriculum review
on students’ work
Source:, Diliberti, Melissa and Julia Kaufman (November 2020)
8
Results: Spring and Fall 2020 American Teacher Panel Surveys
 Most teachers feel that majorities of their students are less prepared
to participate in grade-level work
% of teachers
100%
Significantly less prepared than
90% last year
80% Somewhat less prepared than last
year
70%

60%

50% 33% 34%

40%
44%
43%
30%

20%
33% 31%
10%
16% 22%
0%
Lowest poverty schools Highest poverty schools Lowest minority schools Highest minority schools
(<25% FRPL) (>=75% FRPL) (<25% non-white students) (>=75% non-white students)

Results: Fall 2020

 Remote-only teachers
reported a greater need for a
wide range of resources, from
instructional strategies to
updated technology

% of teachers

Source:, Diliberti, Melissa and Julia Kaufman (November 2020)

10
Results: Fall 2020
Policy implications
Schools need an infusion of funding as
soon as possible.

More funding and resources should be

directed to schools delivering remote
instruction, especially those serving
high-poverty and high-minority
populations.

Schools providing in-person instruction

should be required to collect data on
safety precautions they are taking and
outbreaks they are experiencing

Conclusion 11