The COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed school operations worldwide; therefore, educators adopted online pedagogy to ensure learners continued their learning activities. However, the academic achievement of K-12 children in New York City was negatively impacted after adopting virtual learning, evidenced by reduced academic performances. The problem addressed by this qualitative descriptive methodology was that during the global pandemic, K-12 students within New York public and charter schools were not achieving academically, partially due to lack of contact with teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the academic challenges that K-12 learners experienced during the global COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020 from the parent's and guardians' viewpoints. The data collection techniques included the use of surveys and follow-up interview questions. The population was limited to parents and guardians of K-12 children in New York public and charter schools. A sample of 25 parents and guardians participated in the study; the stratified sampling method was applied to avoid a biased selection of participants. Using thematic analysis, I categorized the collected data into multiple themes. The data analysis methods followed numerous steps to ensure I arrived at the same subthemes. The steps followed include familiarization, coding, topic generation, theme review, theme definition, naming, and report writing. The study findings presented six main challenges resulting in poor academic performance among K-12 children in New York Public and charter schools during the pandemic. These include limited study hours, internet connectivity, lack of required resources, lack of contact with teachers, absenteeism, and lack of social cues. Numerous implications were drawn from the above findings, such as the importance of increased school preparedness regarding resources to adapt to changes resulting from unanticipated occurrences. In addition, the need for basic training among teachers to better comprehend virtual learning was identified. This study contributes significantly to developing remote learning programs to mitigate the challenges accompanying this learning style. The study also provides crucial information for key stakeholders in their future policymaking and implementation of remote learning for K-12 learners. The study recommends that further studies adopt a practical approach by exploring learners' transitions to new learning pedagogies using pilot projects and exploring learning spaces in-depth, including how each learning approach influences learning outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]