American Institutes for Research Launches National Survey on Public Education’s Coronavirus Pandemic Response

Results will reveal how districts across the U.S. are responding to school closures and inform future practices

Washington, D.C. - The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is launching a nationally representative survey to better understand how school districts and charter management organizations (CMOs) are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19 is being sent to leaders at 2,500 school districts and 260 CMOs, starting next week.

The pandemic has led schools across the country to close their buildings, requiring millions of students to continue learning from home and leading to sudden shifts in how educators are providing instruction, leadership and support. The survey will illustrate the range of strategies that districts and CMOs are using to respond to the pandemic and will provide information that educators, policymakers and researchers can use to inform future practices. 

“This survey will provide much-needed data about how schools are responding to this crisis and the challenges they are facing in meeting the needs of their students, families and staff,” said David Myers, AIR President and Chief Executive Officer. “What we learn from this survey will provide important information in the aftermath of the pandemic that can help address equity and lead to evidence-based improvements in education, both inside and outside of the school building.” 

AIR is funding and leading the survey, which is being administered by NORC at the University of Chicago. The survey will be sent to school districts in every U.S. state and Washington, D.C., as well as CMOs across the country, and will gather information in six key areas:

• Timing of school closures due to COVID-19; 
• Distance learning approaches and challenges; 
• Supporting students with disabilities and English learners; 
• District policies and requirements, such as grading and graduation; 
• Staffing and human resources; and 
• Health, well-being and safety. 

"Across our nation and throughout the world, district leaders are working with schools to develop high-quality, remote learning plans with the goal of ensuring students continue to grow and master content standards,” said Heather Mullins, chief academic officer for Newton-Conover (N.C.) City Schools, one of the district leaders that provided early feedback on the survey questions. “This survey will provide us all with a glimpse of how our colleagues around the nation have responded to this unexpected shift in instruction. The insight we will gain will support our ongoing efforts to improve remote instruction and inform our next steps." 

AIR aims to provide initial results early in the summer, providing actionable data to inform planning for the 2020-2021 school year. AIR will continue to roll out findings during the academic year.

Learn more about the survey on AIR’s website. School district and CMO leaders who have received the survey and have questions should contact mgaret@air.org.

About AIR
Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health and workforce development. For more information, visit www.air.org.