California parents mostly disapprove of distance learning, poll finds
As most public and private school students in California continue to study from home, a majority of voters say the state’s schools are not prepared to offer high-quality distance learning, although they are more positive about their own local schools, according to a poll released Thursday.
Parents worry that if children are at home for the rest of the year, it will result in learning loss for all students, but especially for the most economically vulnerable who suffer from hunger or housing insecurity. Low-income parents, in particular, worry that prolonged distance learning will mean they won’t be able to get back to work, according to a poll commissioned by EdSource, a nonprofit education news organization.
The poll was conducted online between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7 by the FM3 Research polling firm and surveyed 834 registered voters. At the time of the poll, the school year had already begun for three-quarters of the 200 parents or guardians surveyed.
One major issue that has emerged since the pandemic upended education nationwide is how to motivate children when they aren’t in the classroom and don’t have in-person contact with teachers.
These concerns are shared by parents. Four out of five say the biggest challenge of distance learning is sustaining their children’s interest to study. Parents also worry about insufficient instructional time with a teacher and say it’s hard for children to work on their own, as well as understand assignments.
“Many times, my granddaughter comes to my room to have a conversation,” said Anita Flemington, whose granddaughter attends school at the Pasadena Unified School District. “I ask her, ‘Are you on break?,’ and she replies, ‘No.’”
Fully 75% of registered voters, including parents, say that distance learning is worse than in-class instruction. A major reason parents hold such a dim view of distance learning stems from their experience in the spring when districts quickly had to make the transition. Just over half of parents rated their child’s spring experience with distance learning as “not too effective” or “not at all effective.” Only 7% rated it as “very effective,” with another 27% rating it as “somewhat effective.”
One-third of parents were unable to cite anything positive about their experience with CONTINUE READING: California parents mostly disapprove of distance learning - Los Angeles Times