This quantitative study was designed to investigate whether a relationship existed between reading achievement and instructional modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2020, school districts developed return-to-school plans that outlined if they would provide in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction to students following the state…

Has in-person learning and virtual learning produced equivalent results when it comes to student achievement? How can a district be flexible with learning options but also strategic with how to best achieve student learning gains? This case-study examines how one district leveraged virtual learning and flexible learning options during COVID-19 and…

To educate students while mitigating the spread of COVID-19 during the fall of 2020, schools across the country used different operational approaches, ranging from fully remote instruction to fully in-person instruction with various "hybrid" approaches in between. This report was prepared for the Pennsylvania Department of Education…

The COVID-19 pandemic drew new attention to the role of school boards in the U.S. In this paper, we examine school districts' choices of learning modality--whether and when to offer in-person, virtual, or hybrid instruction--over the course of the 2020-21 pandemic school year. The analysis takes advantage of granular weekly data on learning mode…

This brief gives a snapshot of how school districts across the country are currently planning for fall 2020, how they are planning for contingencies of COVID-19 spread, and how this varies based on district characteristics. During the week of July 27-31, we reviewed district websites, social media, and local news to collect data from a sample of…

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, school district administrators in the United States were faced with difficult decisions regarding the implementation of virtual or in-person learning to reduce risk of infection throughout student and staff populations. While a coordinated effort with surrounding districts would be most beneficial when…

Due to COVID-19, many school systems and teachers were required to use a new platform for instructional delivery. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the experiences of six veteran teachers who have implemented blended learning in their classrooms within the past three years in one rural Oklahoma school district. Purposeful…

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the digital divide revealing an expanse of inequity among students who had access to the internet, personal devices, and parental support during remote learning and those who did not. Framed with the theoretical lens of equity literacy, this paper details the results of a survey completed by 56 Minnesota district…

Greece Central School District's longstanding new teacher induction model suddenly changed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close abruptly in March 2020. At a time when many districts dropped their new teacher induction plans amid chaos and confusion, Greece Central School District was able to rapidly transform the way they support…

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the need for schools to strengthen their relationships with families in order to support remote learning. Framed with the theoretical lens of the traditional partnership model, this paper details the results of a survey completed by 56 Minnesota district level technology directors. The survey asked how school…

The Creative Learning Initiative (CLI) is a city-wide collaboration between MINDPOP, the City of Austin, Austin Independent School District (AISD), and more than 100 art and cultural organizations dedicated to equitable access to creative learning and the arts for every student in Austin. The CLI model is grounded in research showing that arts…

This study examined problem-based learning in blended learning classrooms for practicing mathematical problems in an emergency situation, such as Covid-19. For this purpose, a three-week program was framed in contrast to traditional teaching, aiming at enrichment and not remediation, for a group of fifty students' studying mathematics in a science…

The COVID-19 pandemic drew new attention to the role of school boards in the U.S. In this paper, we examine school districts' choices of learning modality -- whether and when to offer in-person, virtual, or hybrid instruction -- over the course of the 2020-21 pandemic school year. The analysis takes advantage of granular weekly data on learning…

Educators and policymakers across the country have been raising alarms about a growing teacher shortage. In Michigan, teacher shortages were so severe in the 2018-19 school year that 2,500 classrooms were staffed by long-term substitutes --nearly ten times the number placed in classrooms five years prior. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised even…

This study explores the transformative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, focusing on the increased reliance on online learning tools as the "new normal." The study delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by Mississippi schools in integrating technology during the pandemic, examining the perspectives of teachers…