Pandemic impact on education

 School districts have had to make many difficult decisions to prepare for the 2020–2021 school year amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Researchers summarize selected findings on teaching and learning in the face of a pandemic through results from surveys administered to nationally representative samples of teachers and principals..

Key Findings

• Most schools are still providing either wholly or partially remote instruction.
• Students are less prepared to participate in grade-level work.
• Teachers are having difficulties contacting students and holding them accountable.
• The pandemic has lowered teacher morale and satisfaction.
• Access to digital devices and the internet continues to be a problem.
• Teachers providing remote instruction are hampered in addressing students’ special learning needs.

Diliberti, M., &  Kaufman, J. (2020). Will this school year be another casualty of the pandemic? RAND.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA168-4.html

School libraries during the pandemic

 About 1 in 4 school libraries are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and those that reopen will function differently, according to a survey from the American Association of School Librarians. "School librarians are at the forefront of teaching and learning. We possess the expertise to help students, parents and educators adapt and thrive within our current digital environment while continuing to fulfill our role as educators," AASL President Kathy Carroll said.

American Association of School Librarians. (2020). Back-to-school survey results. AASL. https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/back-to-school-survey-results/