An August 2020 National Education Association survey found that:
- 28% of educators said the pandemic made them likelier to leave teaching.
Meanwhile, back in mid-November, the EdWeek Research Center survey of a nationally representative sample of 913 pre-K educators– including 298 district leaders, 190 principals, and 425 teachers—found that, since 2019…
- Where full- or part-time instruction was offered, teacher absence rates had increased 30%.
- The need for substitute teachers was 73% higher.
- Where all teaching was done remotely, teacher absence rates were 17% higher.
- Only 18% were able to 100% cover each day with substitute teachers.
- 33% more teachers retired, resigned, or took medical leaves.
Also at the mercy of the pandemic:
- In January 2020, the U.S. Department reported there were 1.5 million homeless schoolchildren.
- By this fall, more than 423,000 had “fallen off schools’ radars.
Equally unsettling the University of Michigan’s SchoolHouse Connection & Poverty Solutions found that 28% fewer homeless students were identified this fall than last year. The reason: 2020 pandemic-related identification problems thanks to school closings and “pandemic capacity restrictions” on homeless shelters.
The EdWeek Reseasrch Center also found that homeless students’ needs are great:
- 64% are without stable internet
- 64% don’t have shelter or emergency housing
- 47% need food
- 37% need childcare, and
- 5% need health care.
Unconscionable.
