K-12 Virtual Schooling, COVID-19, and Student Success
Black, E., Ferdig, R., Thompson, L. A. (2021). K-12 Virtual Schooling, COVID-19, and Student Success. JAMA Pediatr, 175(2). doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3800
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly affected K-12 education in 2020.1 To protect students and staff, as well as to flatten the infection curve, parents, teachers, and policy makers endorsed and implemented a modified version of homeschooling in the spring in the US and across the globe. Teachers used some form of paper mailings and electronic technology (eg, video conferencing, emailing) to deliver content to students, while parents assumed a coteaching responsibility. Most parents, schools, and teachers were unprepared and untrained to handle the complexities inherent to educating as well as the demands of the technology needed to support these efforts. Although teachers deserve high praise for their rapid response, the educational outcomes were unsatisfying, families were burdened, and most are hesitant to repeat the same format. As government officials attempt to plan for the fall, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement supporting the return to traditional school as soon as possible to preserve education and socialization while limiting the exacerbation of existing educational disparities for high-risk populations.
- Black, Erik W
- Ferdig, Richard E
- Thompson, Lindsay
- K-12 online learning