make a presentation on education during pandemic

Eric J. Simon, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Biology & Health Science

New England College, Henniker, NH

© This presentation is copyrighted (All Rights Reserved) by Eric J. Simon (2020).

This presentation may be freely distributed and used for educational purposes provided that this title page and copyright statement are included.

All images included in this presentation are in the public domain.

[email protected]

This presentation summarizes important basic information on the current pandemic. It was written for high school and college non-science-major students/teachers. Feel free to use, share, and send suggestions for improvements.

Updated 10/6/2020

Contributor: Lori Koziol, Ph.D., New England College

Source of most data: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

A note to educators who wish to use this slide show

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What is an epidemic?

• An epidemic is the rapid spread of a disease through a population in a relatively short amount of time.

Source: Epidemic page on wikipedia.org, accessed 3/14/2020.

What is a pandemic?

• A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over a large region of the world.
• For example, the Spanish flu of 1918-1920 infected 500 million people (about ¼ of the Earth’s population at that time) and killed an estimated 50 million people.
• Before 2020, the most recent pandemic was the 2009 H1N1 swine flu. It infected about 10-20% of the world’s population and killed 150,000-500,000 people.

Hospital patients with the Spanish flu, 1919

What is the current pandemic?

• December 2019: a novel (new) coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China.
• This virus has since been named

for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

[It was previously called 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).]

• The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is called
• March 11, 2020: After the disease caused by this coronavirus spread to 114 countries, the World Health Organization declared it to be a pandemic likely to spread across the globe.
• January 2020:
• Jan 7: WHO Officials announce they have identified a new coronavirus .
• Jan 11: China announces the first death from the virus.
• Jan 13: The first case is identified outside of China
• Jan 20: The first human-to-human transfer of the virus is identified
• February 2020:
• Feb 2: The first death outside of China is reported.
• Feb 14: The disease is confirmed to have spread to Africa and Europe
• Feb 25: The CDC warns Americans to expect significant disruptions from the virus
• March/April 2020:
• Cases in the U.S. surge.
• Most school districts switch to online or remote learning around March 13th.
• U.S. residents are urged to stay in their homes unless seeking groceries.
• Cases in the U.S. begin to decrease.
• Although most schools stay remote, m any U.S. states began reopening non-essential businesses.
• June/July 2020:
• Cases in the U.S. experience a second surge.

Progress of the worldwide pandemic:

Feb 1, 2020

April 1, 2020

June 1, 2020

August 1, 2020

Worldwide view of the pandemic:

Cases reported (worldwide)

Worldwide cumulative reported cases of COVID-19:

Summary : From the beginning, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased exponentially, and they continue to do so. There is no way to predict when the number of cases will start to flatten out.

Graphic and data obtained from https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

The world passed 30 million cumulative cases on September 18th, 2020.

Summary : The countries with the most cumulative COVID-19 cases are the U.S., India, Brazil, and Russia with over 1 million cases each.

Russia: 1.2M

Summary : Taking population into account (cases per capita), the worst-hit countries so far are the U.S., South America, and Europe.

Summary : Taking into account population, the disease is currently spreading most rapidly in South America, India, and the U.S.

The pandemic in the U.S.:

Summary : The U.S. is currently experiencing an exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. There is no way to predict when the curve will flatten until it starts to do so.

The U.S. passed 7 million cumulative cases on September 26th, 2020.

Summary : The U.S. experienced two waves of rapid increase in the number of daily cases, one in March/April, and one in June/July.

Cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States by county.

The New York Times

Hot spots in the U.S.:

County-by-county daily per capita cases shows that current hot spots are found in the southern and western U.S.

The New York Times 8/25/2020

What is a coronavirus?

• Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause several diseases in mammals and birds.
• In humans, human coronavirus (HCV) causes respiratory infections that are usually mild, including some cases of the common cold.

Computer-generated model

Source: Coronavirus page on Wikipedia.org, accessed 3/14/2020

This group of viruses is named for the club-shaped protein spikes (artificially colored red in the computer model) that protrude from the viral surface and create the appearance of a “corona” (crown) when viewed via an electron microscope.

Electron micrograph

Protein spikes that the virus uses to attach to host cells.

Classification :

realm Riboviria 🡪 phylum incertae sedis 🡪

order nidovirales 🡪

family coronaviridae 🡪

subfamily orthocoronavirinae

Electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-19

Source: NIH NIAID Flickr page

• Some coronaviruses cause serious diseases in humans:
• SARS-CoV is a coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), recognized in 2002
• MERS-CoV is a coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

What is COVID-19?

• SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that appeared in 2019, causes an acute respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 for short).
• The disease is believed to have originated through animal-to-human transmission but soon began to spread via human-to-human transmission.
• COVID-19 is related to the previously known diseases SARS and MERS which are caused by different, but related, viruses.

SARS-CoV-2 virus

COVID-19 disease

What are the symptoms?

• Respiratory symptoms:
• shortness of breath
• can lead to pneumonia
• Symptoms typically appear 2-14 days (average: 5-6 days) after exposure.
• However, many people may be infected but show no symptoms.
• The vast majority of cases are mild.
• Most mild cases run their course in 2 weeks.
• A minority of cases, most commonly among the elderly and other high-risk populations, progress to include severe pneumonia, organ failure, and death.
• These severe cases run their course in 3-6 weeks.

How does the virus invade the host?

• Respiratory symptoms occur when the virus infects cells of the alveoli within the lungs.
• The virus accesses these host cells when a glycoprotein spike on the outside of the virus binds to a specific protein called ACE2 found on type II alveolar cells.

A computer model of the ACE2 protein found on the surface of alveolar lung cells to which the viral protein spikes bind.

How is COVID-19 diagnosed?

• The standard method for confirming a case of COVID-19 is through a rRT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) test of swab samples obtained from the nose or throat.
• Results can be obtained from within a few hours to several days.
• The complete COVID-19 genome has been sequenced and published, allowing other PCR tests to be developed.

A PCR machine

• A ntigen tests :
• These tests confirm viral exposure in the recent past.
• They do not test for the virus directly.
• These tests typically involve a nasal or throat swab, or a saliva test
• Antibody tests :
• These identify the presence of your body’s antibodies against the virus, which indicates that have been exposed in the past.
• This is typically performed via a blood test.

Summary : The U.S. has performed cumulative tests equal to 22% of the population, which is more than many other countries, and less than a few.

Summary : The U.S. has a much higher rate of positive tests than many other countries that perform widespread testing.

Is COVID-19 fatal?

• Mortality rates are estimated to be 1-5%, but the data are very uncertain.
• It is clear that older patients have a significantly higher death rate.

Worldwide deaths due to COVID-19

on 4/6/2020

Summary : The number of deaths from COVID19 worldwide is increasing linearly. There is no way to know when the curve will begin to flatten.

Summary : The most deaths from COVID-19 so far have occurred in the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, and India.

Summary : The greatest death rates from COVID-19 are currently occurring in South America, followed by the U.S. and South America.

U.S. deaths due to COVID-19

The U.S. passed 200,000 cumulative deaths on October 2nd, 2020.

Cumulative deaths from COVID-19 for every county in the United States.

How does COVID-19 compare to other viral diseases?

COVID-19 is significantly more deadly than the seasonal flu, but much less deadly than MERS or Ebola.

What are the treatments?

• There is no vaccine. Work is underway to develop one, but a vaccine is unlikely to be developed before 2021.
• There is no anti-viral treatment specifically for COVID-19.
• Symptoms are managed using standard methods of care for viral infections.
• Antibiotics, which only treat bacterial infections, are not useful to treat COVID-19 or other viral diseases.

How is COVID-19 treated?

• Treatment depends on the stage of the illness.
• Most COVID infections do not require hospital admission.
• Immune suppression (steroids) may help people at certain stages of the disease.
• Anti-coagulation may help at certain stages.
• Antiviral drugs are in use as well such as Remdesivir and Interferon.
• Remdesivir is a COVID-19 drug developed by Gilead to treat Hepatitis C and Ebola (both RNA viruses)
• Remdesivir mimics the RNA base adenine (A)
• A key enzyme in the viral life cycle cannot distinguish the drug from the real base, which causes a breakdown in viral reproduction.

How is COVID-19 spread?

• The infection spreads from person to person via respiratory droplets, usually through coughing and sneezing.

How is COVID-19 prevented?

Evidence shows that the virus can be spread even by people who show no symptoms and seem healthy but are actually infected.

How can I protect myself?

• Sanitize : Wash hands thoroughly and often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Social distancing : Stay more than 6 feet away from other people.
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands. Properly cover coughs and sneezes.
• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth whenever you come within 6 feet of another person.
• Monitor your symptoms and stay home if you are feeling sick.
• Get your flu shot if you have not done so already.

Adapted from: American Society for Microbiology

Accessed at

https://asm.org/Press-Releases/2020/COVID-19-Resources

on 3/14/2020

https://www.who.int/brunei/news/infographics---english

Animated GIF:

How do I keep from spreading illness to others if I am sick?

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Call ahead to a healthcare professional if you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html accessed on 3/16/2020

What are the prospects for a vaccine?

• There are over 120 different types currently in development.
• No one can say with certainty when a vaccine will be widely available, although it is likely to be in 2021.

Graphic obtained from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01221-y

Take-home lessons

• COVID-19 is an infectious disease of the human respiratory system caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2.
• The disease is almost always mild and causes fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
• Older people and other at-risk populations may develop life-threatening symptoms.
• There is no vaccine or treatment.
• Protect yourself by sanitizing, maintaining 6 feet of distance between people, and avoiding people and places known to be infected.

Test your knowledge

Take this free online quiz to see how well you understand the current outbreak (all answers are found in this presentation):

http://bit.ly/COVID19quiz

Resources related to this presentation for educators:

• Online Google Slides presentation: http://bit.ly/COVID19slides
• Contact [email protected] if you’d like an editable version of this PowerPoint
• Online Google Sheets quiz based on this presentation (for educators to download and load into Blackboard): http://bit.ly/COVID19slidesQuiz
• Online version of this quiz: http://bit.ly/COVID19quiz
• Kahoot: Search for “COVID19 SimonBiology”

Helpful resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) page
• World Health Organization’s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak page & infographics page
• American Society for Microbiology’s Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page
• Primary research articles from The Lancet
• Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center .
• NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) blog “ Coronavirus: What’s the Real Story? ”
• Dr. Vanessa Monique’s Youtube Video “ Coronavirus disease COVID-19 ” (9:51)
• Osmosis.org Youtube video “ COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology ” (12:20)
• Gretel von Bargen’s extensive Google document with 208 slides on coronavirus.
• Our World in Data’s Coronavirus Disease statistics page .
• NIH NIAID Flickr account of COVID-19-related photos

Helpful articles (should be freely available)

• New York Times 3/12/2020: What Does Coronavirus Do to the Body?
• New York Times 3/11/2020: Flattening the Coronavirus Curve
• Washington Post 3/14/2020: Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve ”
• https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-0771-4
• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01221-y
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-testing-remdesivir-plus-interferon-beta-1a-covid-19-treatment-begins
• For a great Podcast about all things viral: “this week in virology”
• https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/

Questions/comments?

• Please contact [email protected] with any suggested changes to this presentation.
• Or maybe just drop me a note to let me know if you found this useful!

New Data Show How the Pandemic Affected Learning Across Whole Communities

• Posted May 11, 2023
• By News editor
• Disruption and Crises
• Education Policy
• Evidence-Based Intervention

Today, The Education Recovery Scorecard , a collaboration with researchers at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University (CEPR) and Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity Project , released 12 new state reports and a research brief to provide the most comprehensive picture yet of how the pandemic affected student learning. Building on their previous work, their findings reveal how school closures and local conditions exacerbated inequality between communities — and the urgent need for school leaders to expand recovery efforts now.

The research team reviewed data from 8,000 communities in 40 states and Washington, D.C., including 2022 NAEP scores and Spring 2022 assessments, COVID death rates, voting rates, and trust in government, patterns of social activity, and survey data from Facebook/Meta on family activities and mental health during the pandemic.

>> Read an op-ed by researchers Tom Kane and Sean Reardon in the New York Times .

They found that where children lived during the pandemic mattered more to their academic progress than their family background, income, or internet speed.  Moreover, after studying instances where test scores rose or fell in the decade before the pandemic, the researchers found that the impacts lingered for years.  

“Children have resumed learning, but largely at the same pace as before the pandemic. There’s no hurrying up teaching fractions or the Pythagorean theorem,” said CEPR faculty director Thomas Kane . “The hardest hit communities — like Richmond, Virginia, St. Louis, Missouri, and New Haven, Connecticut, where students fell behind by more than 1.5 years in math — have to teach 150 percent of a typical year’s worth of material for three years in a row — just to catch up. That is simply not going to happen without a major increase in instructional time.  Any district that lost more than a year of learning should be required to revisit their recovery plans and add instructional time — summer school, extended school year, tutoring, etc. — so that students are made whole. ”

“It’s not readily visible to parents when their children have fallen behind earlier cohorts, but the data from 7,800 school districts show clearly that this is the case,” said Sean Reardon , professor of poverty and inequality, Stanford Graduate School of Education. “The educational impacts of the pandemic were not only historically large, but were disproportionately visited on communities with many low-income and minority students. Our research shows that schools were far from the only cause of decreased learning — the pandemic affected children through many ways — but they are the institution best suited to remedy the unequal impacts of the pandemic.”

The new research includes:

• A research brief that offers insights into why students in some communities fared worse than others. 
• An update to the Education Recovery Scorecard, including data from 12 additional states whose 2022 scores were not available in October. The project now includes a district-level view of the pandemic’s effects in 40 states (plus D.C.). 
• A new interactive map that highlights examples of inequity between neighboring school districts. 

Among the key findings:

• Within the typical school district, the declines in test scores were similar for all groups of students, rich and poor, white, Black, Hispanic. And the extent to which schools were closed appears to have had the same effect on all students in a community, regardless of income or race. 
• Test scores declined more in places where the COVID death rate was higher, in communities where adults reported feeling more depression and anxiety during the pandemic, and where daily routines of families were most significantly restricted. This is true even in places where schools closed only very briefly at the start of the pandemic. 
• Test score declines were smaller in communities with high voting rates and high Census response rates — indicators of what sociologists call “institutional trust.” Moreover, remote learning was less harmful in such places. Living in a community where more people trusted the government appears to have been an asset to children during the pandemic.
• The average U.S. public school student in grades 3-8 lost the equivalent of a half year of learning in math and a quarter of a year in reading.

The researchers also looked at data from the decade prior to the pandemic to see how students bounced back after significant learning loss due to disruption in their schooling. The evidence shows that schools do not naturally bounce back: Affected students recovered 20–30% of the lost ground in the first year, but then made no further recovery in the subsequent three to four years.   

“Schools were not the sole cause of achievement losses,” Kane said. “Nor will they be the sole solution. As enticing as it might be to get back to normal, doing so will just leave the devastating increase in inequality caused by the pandemic in place. We must create learning opportunities for students outside of the normal school calendar, by adding academic content to summer camps and after-school programs and adding an optional 13th year of schooling.”

The Education Recovery Scorecard is supported by funds from Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Walton Family Foundation.

The latest research, perspectives, and highlights from the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Resources for Educators and Schools

This resource collection provides resources and information for educators and school leaders to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students to address disparities often exacerbated by the challenges of remote learning.

• Engaging Parents and Students from Diverse Populations in the Context of Distance Learning . The webinar released by REL West shares lessons from research and practice to help educators engage with students and their families to support continued learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation addresses three evidence-based strategies for student and family engagement: cultivating a partnership orientation; practicing cultural responsiveness; and establishing two-way communication.
• Equitable Practices for Online Learning. This free webinar series from Equity Assistance Center (EAC) Region II (IDRA EAC-South) provides resources to support educators as they continue student learning during stay-at-home orders prompted by the global pandemic.
• Continuity of Learning: Resources to Ensure Equity. This resource collection curated by the National Comprehensive Center resources to support SEAs, LEAs, and school leaders in their ongoing efforts to ensure educational equity for the most vulnerable students.
• Distance Learning Resources for Education Stakeholders in the Northwest . This resource repository for schools and districts developed by Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest shares how to educate students and deliver services for special populations amid school closures.
• Culturally Responsive Leading and Learning: Addressing Equity Through Student and Family Voice. This article from REL Pacific presents considerations for educators to develop equitable and culturally responsive instructional practices to support students and families with remote learning. By acknowledging the unique student and family voices within schools and districts, teachers and leaders have an opportunity to help families adapt to the current academic landscape while addressing and closing equity disparities. The accompanying infographic, Including Voice in Education: Addressing Equity Through Student and Family Voice in Classroom Learning features practical strategies for educators and school leaders to implement in the classroom.
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) . The webpage developed by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) features a collection of resources that are updated daily with the latest information on funding and guidance for all birth through age 5 early childhood special education programs regarding COVID-19.
• Addressing Inequities Related to Online and Distance Learning. This Equity Digest by the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center for educators provide insight into the inequities experienced by minority students and communities in online and distance learning environments. The Center discusses challenges related to online learning (e.g., access, job loss, housing insecurity, health disparities, ongoing civil unrest), and ways to create a culturally responsive, inclusive, and more equitable education environment that mitigates these challenges.
• Culturally Affirming Care for Rural Students During the Pandemic: A Karuk Perspective. This blog by Regional Educational Laboratory West for social workers, support providers, and teachers share Preston-Donahue's approach to supporting student well-being, both before the pandemic and during the pandemic, has been firmly grounded in Karuk culture. Her practices are strength-based and culturally meaningful, building on the tribe's beliefs, customs, and natural environment.
• How "Classrooms on Wheels" Continue to Reach Rural Preschoolers During the Pandemic. This blog by Regional Educational Laboratory West for early childhood providers and district leadership share that a substantial body of research has established the benefits of preschool education to young children's ongoing academic learning and development of social and emotional skills. Because Preschool opportunities are limited in Nevada's rural high desert, a local full-service family support nonprofit organization, Community Chest, Inc., has been reaching and teaching 3- and 4-year-olds who would not otherwise have access to a pre-K education.
• Count Us In: Advancing Equity in Rural Schools and Communities. This special edition in the Exploring Equity Issues series, titled Count Us In: Advancing Equity in Rural Schools and Communities by the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) for educators focus on strategies for and perspectives on advancing equity for rural schools and communities.
• Engaging Students and Families from Diverse Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This blog by Regional Educational Laboratory West for teachers, school leaders, and district leaders discuss ways to reach and connect with historically underserved or marginalized populations, including Black, Latinx, and economically disadvantaged students and families, as well as those with language backgrounds other than English, is important for educators at any and all times.

English Learners

• Technology Use with English Learners . This fact sheet from the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) reports data and information based on a national study of English learners and digital learning resources, Supporting English Learners Through Technology (2019 ) and the Educator Toolkit: Using Educational Technology— 21st Century Supports for English Learners (2018) .
• Guidance for Navigating Distance Learning for English Learner Students . A blog series developed by the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest , in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for parents and educators, focuses on supporting English learner students and their unique needs with remote learning.
• How Can Educators Provide High-Quality Instruction to English Learners In An Online Environment? This frequently asked questions developed by the REL Northeast & Islands provides strategies for how educators, school leaders, and district leaders can provide high-quality instruction to English Learners in an online environment.
• Ensuring Continuity of Learning and Operations. This resource collection from the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition includes resources intended for school personnel and institutions of higher education to improve distance learning and the support of English learners and their families during school closures.
• Engaging English Learners and Families through Distance Learning. This webinar from the Office of English Language Acquisition discusses how during COVID-19 related school closures and the transition to distance learning, many schools are working to sustain engagement with EL families and communities, and to ensure two-way communication to build school and community capacity. Panelists share recommendations and examples of EL family engagement activities during remote learning. This webinar is part of the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) Webinars .
• English Learner Resources for Educators. This resource repository from the EAC Region I (Center for Education Equity ) presented curated online and distance education resource repositories for educators and families of students who are English learners.
• Disability and English Learners: Intersections of Civil Rights and Best Practice. This training guide from the EAC Region III ( Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center) assists educators in understanding civil rights law, federal disability laws, and related best practices to help schools provide nondiscriminatory, effective services to their growing English Learner populations, particularly for students with disabilities.
• Strengthening English Learner Education in Rural Areas . English learners (ELs) increasingly attend rural schools, educators are asking for resources and training to improve student learning and family engagement. In this post and webinar from REL Central , learn about strategies some schools are using and research to inform your work with ELs in this post and companion webinar recording.
• Reopening Instructional Programs for Our Most Vulnerable Students: A Reopening Guidebook for the 2020-2021 School Year. This guidebook by Region 3 Comprehensive Center for educators help address the pressing issues that students face, particularly the most vulnerable learners as schools reopen their programs. It includes the following four chapters: (1) Virtual Learning, (2) Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 3 Parent Supports, (3) English Learners and Spanish Learners, and (4) Students with Disabilities.
• Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Classroom within a PBIS Framework. The practice brief by the Center on Positive Behavior and Intervention Support (PBIS) describes the "top ten" intervention strategies effective educators implement to support all students, including students with disabilities, in their classroom.

Students with Disabilities

• Evidence-Based and Promising Practices to Support Continuity of Learning for Students With Disabilities: Practices and Resources to Support Teachers This brief developed by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) presents practices and resources that educators of children and youth with disabilities can use to support students' continuity of learning during school building closures.
• Plan and Deliver: Educating Students with Disabilities in Virtual Settings . A blog series developed by the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest , in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for parents and educators, focuses on supporting students with disabilities and their unique needs with remote learning.
• Resources Memo: COVID-19: How Can Educators Make Online Instruction Accessible to Students with Disabilities? This resource memo developed by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, addresses how educators can make online instruction accessible to students with disabilities.
• Resources for Educators of Students with Special Needs. This curated list of resources from Equity Assistance Center (EAC) Region I — Center for Educational Equity provides information for families to ensure the continuity of services and learning for students with disabilities.
• Resources for Teachers and Parents to Enhance the Continuity of Learning During COVID-19 This webinar presented by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) highlights ready-to-use resources, tools, and practices to support the educational, behavioral, and social/emotional needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities through remote and distance learning.
• Reflecting Towards Success . This article released by the Office of Educational Technology (OET) is intended for education leaders to begin to develop clear plans of action for remote learning in supporting elementary and secondary students with disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic and extended school building closures.
• Going the Distance: Online Strategies for Helping Students with Disabilities. This blog by Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic for district leaders, school leaders, and teachers share research of promising practices of online learning for students with disabilities and provides suggestions education leaders should consider when working online with students with disabilities based on research findings.
• Returning to School: Considerations for Students with the Most Intensive Behavioral Needs, A Guide to Supporting Students with Disabilities, Their Families, and Educators During the 2020 — 21 School Year. This document from the Center on Positive Behavior and Intervention Support (PBIS) shares a set of strategies and key practices to restart classrooms and schools in a manner that students, their families, and educators can use effectively, efficiently, and relevantly utilize in the current climate.
• Reaching and Teaching English Learners, Newcomer Students, and English Learners with Disabilities During the Pandemic . This recorded webinar from the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) for school and district leadership share how educators are pivoting to make sure that English Learners, including newly arrived immigrants and students with disabilities, receive a high-quality education and other social-emotional supports under current conditions.
• Supporting Students with Intensive Needs During COVID-19. This webpage by the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) for educators include sample lessons and strategies for implementing intensive intervention during COVID-19 restrictions. Resource collections include math and reading lessons, behavior strategies, data collection and teaming materials, implementation support and collaborating with families.

Students in Juvenile Justice Settings

• NDTAC Webinar: Effectively Utilizing Technology in Juvenile Justice Settings The recorded webinar provided by The National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC) addresses how educators can utilize technology in juvenile justice facilities.
• Resources and Strategies to Support Children with Disabilities and their Families During COVID-19. This resource , jointly created by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA), the Office of Head Start (OHS) , and the OHS TA National Centers for school leaders, services providers, teachers, support staff, children, and families support with resources to help during school re-opening and continuity of services.

Go Back to OESE Resources page

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Rewiring the classroom: How the COVID-19 pandemic transformed K-12 education

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, brian a. jacob and brian a. jacob walter h. annenberg professor of education policy; professor of economics, and professor of education - university of michigan, former brookings expert cristina stanojevich cs cristina stanojevich doctoral student - michigan state university.

August 26, 2024

• The pandemic changed K-12 classrooms through new technologies, instructional practices, and parent-teacher communications, along with an emphasis on social-emotional learning.
• Less tangibly, COVID-19 might have shifted perceptions of the value and purposes of K-12 schooling.
• The durability and effects of these changes remain unclear and will depend on how educational leaders and policymakers manage them.

In March 2020, virtually all public school districts in the U.S. shut their doors. For the next 18 months, schooling looked like it never had before. Homes became makeshift classrooms; parents became de facto teachers. But by fall 2022, many aspects of K-12 education had returned to “normal.” Schools resumed in-person classes, extracurricular activities flourished, and mask mandates faded.

But did schools really return to what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic? Our research suggests not. We interviewed teachers, school leaders, and district administrators across 12 districts in two states, and then we surveyed a nationally representative set of veteran educators in May 2023. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic transformed K-12 education in fundamental ways.

Below, we describe how the pandemic reshaped the educational landscape in these ways and we consider the opportunities and challenges these changes present for students, educators, and policymakers.

Accelerated adoption of technology

One of the most immediate and visible changes brought about by the pandemic was the rapid integration of technology into the classroom. Before COVID-19, many schools were easing into the digital age. The switch to remote learning in March 2020 forced schools to fully embrace Learning Management Systems (LMS), Zoom, and educational software almost overnight.

When students returned to in-person classrooms, the reliance on these digital tools persisted. Over 70% of teachers in our survey report that students are now assigned their own personal device (over 80% for secondary schools). LMS platforms like Google Classroom and Schoology remain essential in many schools. An assistant superintendent of a middle-income district remarked, “Google Classroom has become a mainstay for many teachers, especially middle school [and] high school.”

The platforms serve as hubs for posting assignments, accessing educational content, and enabling communication between teachers, students, and parents. They have become popular among parents as well. One teacher, who has school-age children herself, noted :

“Whereas pre-COVID…you’re hoping and praying your kids bring home information…[now] I can go on Google classroom and be like, ‘Oh, it says you worked on Mesopotamia today. What was that lesson about?’”

Transformed instructional practices

The pandemic’s impact on student learning was profound. Reading and math scores dropped precipitously, and the gap widened between more and less advantaged students. Many schools responded by adjusting their schedules or adopting new programs. Several mentioned adopting “What I need” (WIN) or “Power” blocks to accommodate diverse learning needs. During these blocks, teachers provide individualized support to students while others work on independent practice or extension activities.

Teachers report placing greater emphasis on small-group instruction and personalized learning. They spend less time on whole-class lecture and rely more on educational software (e.g., Lexia for reading and Zearn for math) to tailor instruction to individual student needs. A third-grade teacher in a low-income district explained:

“The kids are in so many different places, Lexia is very prescriptive and diagnostic, so it will give the kids specifically what level and what skills they need. [I] have a student who’s working on Greek and Latin roots, and then I have another kid who’s working on short vowel sounds. [It’s] much easier for them to get it through Lexia than me trying to get, you know, 18 different reading lessons.”

Teachers aren’t just using technology to personalize instruction. Having spent months gaining expertise with educational software, more teachers find it natural to integrate those programs into their classrooms today. Those teachers who used ed tech before report doing so even more now. They describe using software like Flowcabulary and Prodigy to make learning more engaging, and games such as Kahoot to give students practice with various skills. Products like Nearpod let them create presentations that integrate instruction with formative assessment. Other products, like Edpuzzle, help teachers monitor student progress.

Some teachers discovered how to use digital tools to save time and improve their communications to students. One elementary teacher, for example, explains even when her students complete an assignment by hand, she has them take a picture of it and upload it to her LMS:

“I can sort them, and I can comment on them really fast. So it’s made feedback better. [I have] essentially a portfolio of all their math, rather than like a hard copy that they could lose…We can give verbal feedback. I could just hit the mic and say, ‘Hey, double check number 6, your fraction is in fifths, it needs to be in tenths.’”

Increased emphasis on social-emotional learning

The pandemic also revealed and exacerbated the social-emotional challenges that students face. In our survey, nearly 40% of teachers report many more students struggling with depression and anxiety than before the COVID-19 pandemic; over 80% report having at least a few more students struggling.

These student challenges have changed teachers’ work. When comparing how they spend class time now versus before the pandemic, most teachers report spending more time on activities relating to students’ social-emotional well-being (73%), more time addressing behavioral issues (70%), and more time getting students caught up and reviewing routines and procedures (60%).

In response, schools have invested in social-emotional learning (SEL) programs and hired additional counselors and social workers. Some districts turned to online platforms such as Class Catalyst and CloseGap that allow students to anonymously report their emotional state on a daily basis, which helps school staff track students’ mental health.

Teachers also have been adapting their expectations of students. Many report assigning less homework and providing students more flexibility to turn in assignments late and retake exams.

Facilitated virtual communication between parents and teachers

The pandemic also radically reshaped parent-teacher communications. Mirroring trends across society, videoconferencing has become a go-to option. Schools use videoconferencing for regular parent-teacher conferences, along with meetings to discuss special education placements and disciplinary incidents. In our national survey, roughly one-half of teachers indicate that they conduct a substantial fraction of parent-teacher conferences online; nearly a quarter of teachers report that most of their interactions with parents are virtual.

In our interviews, teachers and parents gushed about the convenience afforded by videoconferencing, and some administrators believe it has increased overall parent participation. (One administrator observed, “Our attendance rates [at parent-teacher conferences] and interaction with parents went through the roof.”)

An administrator from a low-income district shared the benefits of virtual Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings:

“It’s rare that we have a face-to-face meeting…everything is Docusigned now. Parents love it because I can have a parent that’s working—a single mom that’s working full time—that can step out during her lunch break…[and] still interact with everybody.”

During the pandemic, many districts purchased a technology called Remind that allows teachers to use their personal smartphones to text with parents while blocking their actual phone number. We heard that teachers continue to text with parents, citing the benefits for quick check-ins or questions. Remind and many LMS also have translation capabilities that makes it easier for teachers and parents to overcome language barriers.

Moving forward

The changes described above have the potential to improve student learning and increase educational equity. They also carry risks. On the one hand, the growing use of digital tools to differentiate instruction may close achievement gaps, and the ubiquity of video conferencing could allow working parents to better engage with school staff. On the other hand, the overreliance on digital tools could harm students’ fine motor skills (one teacher remarked, “[T]heir handwriting sucks compared to how it used to be”) and undermine student engagement. Some new research suggests that relying on digital platforms might impede learning relative to the old-fashioned “paper and pencil” approach. And regarding virtual conferences, the superintendent of a small, rural district told us, “There’s a disconnect when we do that…No, I want the parents back in our buildings, I want people back. We’re [the school] a community center.”

Of course, some of the changes we observed may not persist. For example, fewer teachers may rely on digital tools to tailor instruction once the “COVID cohorts” have aged out of the system. As the emotional scars of the pandemic fade, schools may choose to devote fewer resources to SEL programming. It’s important to note, too, that many of the changes we found come from the adoption of new technology, and the technology available to educators will continue to evolve (e.g., with the integration of new AI technologies into personalized tutoring systems). That being said, now that educators have access to more instructional technology and—perhaps more importantly—greater familiarity with using such tools, they might continue to rely on them.

The changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic provide a unique opportunity to rethink and improve the structure of K-12 education. While the integration of technology and the focus on social-emotional learning offer promising avenues for enhancing student outcomes, they also require continuous evaluation. Indeed, these changes raise some questions beyond simple cost-benefit calculations. For example, the heightened role of ed tech raises questions about the proper role of the private sector in public education. As teachers increasingly “outsource” the job of instruction to software products, what might be lost?

Educational leaders and policymakers must ensure that these pandemic-inspired changes positively impact learning and address the evolving needs of students and teachers. As we navigate this new educational landscape, the lessons learned from this unprecedented time can serve as a guide for building a more resilient, equitable, and effective educational system for the future.

Beyond technological changes, COVID-19 shifted perspectives about K-12 schooling. A middle-school principal described a new mentality among teachers in her district, “I think we have all become more readily able to adapt…we’ve all learned to assess what we have in front of us and make the adjustments we need to ensure that students are successful.” And a district administrator emphasized how the pandemic highlighted the vital role played by schools:

“…we saw that when students were not in school. From a micro and macro level, the environment that a school creates to support you growing up…we realized how needed this network is…both academically and socially, in growing our citizens up to be productive in the world. And we are happy to have everyone back.”

At the end of the day, this realization may be one of the pandemic’s most enduring legacies.

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