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Thread 1. @EchelonInsights has done 8 weeks of polling to better understand how families are navigating COVID-19. We just released an analysis today on reopening schools, summer plans, and what parents want in the wake of George Floyd's death. https://bit.ly/3dIJK0l
2. Families are using their CARES Act cash relief funds to pay for basic necessities including groceries, utilities, and rent.
3. 30% of all parents believe their children will need extra help in Math due to school closures. 41% of parents of color vs just 24% of white parents say their child needs help with English. Large differences between rural and urban parents.
4. Only 27% of parents feel comfortable sending their children back to school in Aug or Sept. 29% say they won’t be comfortable until the winter/spring of 2021.
5. White parents are twice as likely as parents of color to feel comfortable sending children back in Aug/Sept. 25% of parents of color say they won't feel comfortable until at least the Spring.
6. There are partisan differences too. 34% of Republican parents feel comfortable sending their child back in Aug/Sept. vs just 16% of Democrat parents.
7. 21% of parents do not plan to send their child back to school. Of those, 38% say it is out of concern due to COVID-19.
8. Parents want more live online instruction for their children as well as laptops/tablets. 75% support offering more online instruction as an alternative to in-classroom instruction.
9. When asked what would be most helpful to them as a parent right now, 33% of parents earning less than $50,000 a year said high-speed Internet access.
10. 63% of parents of color say they worry a lot or some about their children being affected by racist comments or actions from other students.
11. Parents support more cultural awareness training for staff and trauma informed school counselors (including strong support from Republican parents)
12. Read the entire report and more than 2,000 pages of topline and crosstabs data here: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/parents-and-the-pandemic-a-comprehensive-analysis-of-survey-data/
13. For me, the most eye opening finding is the number of parents who are anxious sending their child back to school this fall. If anything, those numbers might increase due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in states. https://www.covidexitstrategy.org/
14. But it also means many schools will need to give parents two options: (1) a heavily modified version of a hybrid school or (2) continue learning remotely with online learning.
15. Our survey data also gives a hint at how to engage parents about the safety of reopening schools. Parents are 3x more likely to trust the CDC than school boards or superintendents. They are more than 6x more likely to trust state health officials than their principal.
16. This suggests the importance of having health officials not only active in developing school reopening plans, but also in communicating why they believe it is safe to do so.
17. Special thanks to @EchelonInsights @KSoltisAnderson @oliviakshaw Eleanor O'Neil and @NationalParents for their work.
