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:

  1. In January 2020, the U.S. Department reported there were 1.5 million homeless schoolchildren.
  2. 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.