1 Dec 2020
Spotlight

AIR’s COVID-19 Response and Resources

Image of connections and abstract virus

Image of Monique ChismAIR’s Monique Chism spoke on Sirius XM's POTUS channel and discussed the impact of COVID-19 on schools and how federal education policy can help. Listen to the interview >>

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. This virus, also known as COVID-19, has dramatically changed the lives of people around the globe, touching all aspects of life, from health care to education to the economy. In this new world of rapidly changing information about the virus, AIR seeks to be a source of evidence-based information that examines and begins to understand the various complexities of this crisis.

Read a message from AIR's President and CEO about the coronavirus pandemic, and what steps AIR is taking to protect staff and support evidence-based strategies to stem the spread of the virus >>

Learn more about the results of our national survey of public education’s response to the coronavirus pandemic >>

Read our plain language COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions Fact Sheet >>

Stay informed about our work: Sign up for the AIR newsletter and follow us on social media >>

AIR’s Experts Address Issues Raised by the Pandemic

Image of AIR Informs logoAIR’s experts take an evidence-based approach to their research, evaluation, training, and technical assistance work on a daily basis. For our latest podcast series, AIR Informs, AIR experts explore the different ways the coronavirus pandemic is affecting our lives and how we can address the challenges it presents.

Episode #1: Focusing on Facts and Evidence During a Health Crisis, with Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar
Episode #2: Opportunities for Learning and Development in Out-of-School Time, with Deb Moroney
Episode #3: The Science of Safe, Supportive Learning at Home, with David Osher
Episode #4: Communities of Practice During COVID-19, with Melissa Rasberry and Marshal Conley
Episode #5: The Economics of the Coronavirus for People with Disabilities, with Michelle Yin
Episode #6: Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities During COVID-19, with Allison Gandhi
Episode #7: The Real Unemployment Rate and Workplace After COVID-19, with Irma Perez-Johnson
Episode #8: Supporting the Foster Care Community During COVID-19, with Ann-Marie Faria

Other Resources

Innovation Hub: COVID-19 Response and Resource Briefs

AIR's Innovation Hub has created several briefs based on research and conversations with state-, district-, and school-level leaders on topics related to COVID-19 and education. The topics include:

Teaching in the Time of COVID

This compilation of AIR's research, resources, and webinar recordings explores the challenges teachers are facing and offers tools and resources for educators.

COVID-19 Blog Series

In this latest blog post series, our colleagues at IMPAQ experts bring you timely updates and informed insights on the intersection of COVID-19 and pressing policy issues.

CCPH Community Partners Survey

AIR and the Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) have developed a survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on community-based organizations.

Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC)

The MSKTC is supporting people living with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and burn injury to help them stay healthy during the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. People living with these injuries can continue to improve their health and wellbeing during these unprecedented times using a variety of MSKTC’s free, online resources.

Remote Learning Resources from the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs)

The 10 RELs funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and guidance about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic. AIR operates REL Midwest and REL Southwest, and serves as a partner to Florida State University on REL Southeast.

At Home with the Child Experts: The Science of Learning and Teaching at Home During COVID-19

In this 30-minute informal conversation from the Society for Research in Child Development, early education experts, including AIR researcher Erin Bogan, answered parents' and caregivers' questions about learning and teaching at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resources for People with Spinal Cord, Traumatic Brain, and Burn Injuries During COVID-19

The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) is supporting people living with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury to help them stay healthy during the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. People living with these injuries can continue to improve their health and wellbeing during these unprecedented times using a variety of MSKTC’s free, online resources.

Center on Great Teachers and Leaders: Insights on COVID-19

The GTL Center team is supporting states, districts, and their educators in their momentous efforts by gathering and sharing practical resources around a range of topics, including distance learning, students with disabilities, and English learners.

Women’s Groups and COVID-19: Challenges, Engagement, and Opportunities

This brief presents the implications of the pandemic and lockdown for women’s groups, with a focus on India, Nigeria, and Uganda, which have responded differently to the crisis.

Youth Engaged 4 Change (YE4C): COVID-19 Resources

The YE4C website, part of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, includes a section about COVID-19 resources geared towards youth.

Related Projects

Project

National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19

To improve services to students and families, we need information on what districts and charter management organizations are doing and plan to do to address COVID-19. From mid-May through July 2020, we are asking school district and charter management organization leaders to respond to a nationally representative survey of school districts and charter management organizations—more than 2,500 in total—about the actions they have taken and the challenges they have encountered during the COVID-19-related school closures.
Project

Resource Series: Expanded Learning Partnerships for the Whole Child During COVID-19 and Beyond

The start of the 2020–21 academic year illustrated the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of school-aged students and their families, and has heightened the need to catalyze the systems that support them. AIR partnered with Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) and the Partnership for Children and Youth to develop three resources on how expanded learning providers, districts and schools across California have been working together to best meet the needs of students during this unprecedented time.

Related Work

24 Aug 2020
In the Field

Resources to Go Beyond the Basics and Support the Whole Child

Despite uncertainty about the start of the 2020-2021 school year, one thing is clear: Learning will take multiple forms and things will likely change as the school year progresses. AIR researchers created this resource for families and caregivers to help foster positive conditions for learning at home.
Topic: 
Education, Equity in Education, Social and Emotional Learning
27 Jul 2020
In the Field

Why Retaining Deeply Experienced Teachers Is Critical During a Global Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic turns into a longer-term crisis with no end in sight, planning for the fall raises even more questions for teachers about school policies and their own futures. This is the first installment of a new series in which AIR experts discuss how to facilitate quality instruction in the midst of a pandemic, from attracting, preparing, and retaining teachers to providing them with professional learning opportunities.
Topic: 
Education, Teacher Preparation and Performance, Health
20 Jul 2020
In the Field

Digital Accessibility: How Schools and Teachers Can Support Students with Disabilities in Remote Learning

Keeping an eye on issues of equity in remote learning environments can seem overwhelming, particularly when moving teaching and learning from the classroom to an online platform. Taking the time to address digital accessibility has an overarching benefit: Universally designed and accessible learning materials can benefit all learners.
Topic: 
Education, Equity in Education, English Learners, Special Education, Technology for Teaching and Learning
25 Jun 2020
Brief

Impact of COVID-19 on Early Learning and Care in California

The COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on California's early learning and care system, and early learning providers need more support. In order to understand the ways in which programs have adapted, the services they provide, and the challenges they are facing, AIR and Early Edge California collected data from early learning programs throughout the state.
Topic: 
Education, Early Childhood and Child Development, English Learners
15 May 2020
Brief

The Promise of Telehealth for Addressing COVID-19

The use of telehealth has increased during the current global coronavirus pandemic. The word "telehealth" is sometimes used interchangeably with "telemedicine," but these terms mean different things. This brief explores those differences, how remote health care services work and for what conditions, and what policy changes have occurred to expand access to remote health care.
Topic: 
Health, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Redesigning Healthcare Delivery
13 May 2020
Brief

Millions More People Were Jobless Due to COVID-19 Than Indicated by Official Statistics

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 23 million Americans were unemployed as of April 2020. While these numbers may seem shocking, the official count may exclude up to 8 million more who lost jobs or stopped looking for work between February and April. This brief examines those numbers.
Topic: 
Workforce, Workforce Development
7 Apr 2020
Spotlight

Building Positive Conditions for Learning at Home: Strategies and Resources for Families and Caregivers

As we all adjust to the current situation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that we create a safe, supportive, and engaging spaces for learning at home. In the coming weeks, we will continue to add new information, strategies, things to look for, and resources that have more information.
Topic: 
Education, Social and Emotional Learning
8 Apr 2021
Spotlight

Mental Health Awareness

Raising awareness and increasing the understanding of mental health can change the way society views and responds to this complex issue. AIR promotes positive mental health through school and community-based approaches involving youth, families, school, health care providers, and other stakeholders.
Topic: 
Social and Emotional Learning, Health, Justice Systems, Mental Health, Trauma-Informed Care
2 Mar 2018
Spotlight

Social and Emotional Learning: Creating Supportive Learning Environments for All

Recent research has demonstrated that when schools and districts focus on social and emotional learning (SEL), students’ academic achievement, prosocial behaviors, and positive attitudes improve, while their behavior problems and emotional distress decrease. Explore these selected resources, tools, and reports to discover our research and technical assistance on SEL practices.
Topic: 
Education, School Climate, Social and Emotional Learning, Teacher Preparation and Performance
30 Apr 2020
Brief

Grading Policy in the Time of COVID-19: Considerations and Implications for Equity

Knowing that the current context is dramatically different than previous school years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that students’ access to learning from home varies, how should schools grade student performance? This brief from the California Collaborative on District Reform explores some of the policy options California districts and other states have pursued, as well as considerations and tradeoffs related to equity.
Topic: 
Education, District and School Improvement, Equity in Education
26 Mar 2020
Event

Shifting Classroom Practices to a Virtual Environment

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, this REL Midwest “quick chat” webinar, co-hosted with the Region 9 Comprehensive Center, highlighted strategies for effectively teaching K–12 students in a virtual setting.
4 Apr 2018
Report

Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom

Technology has the ability to create new opportunities for students and designing successful practices for using technology can help to increase educational experiences for students. This report draws upon nationally representative data sources, existing research, and relevant state and local intervention efforts to examine the five research areas designated in ESSA, and to provide a comprehensive picture of student access to digital learning resources outside of the classroom.
Topic: 
Education, Afterschool and Expanded Learning, Education Policy, Technology for Teaching and Learning
1 Nov 2020
Spotlight

Spotlight on Personalized Learning

AIR believes that personalized learning efforts must have critical foundational elements, build in the relevant essential hallmarks, and opportunities to amplify learning with technology. Our approach to personalized learning draws upon our rigorous research base and strong field experience in facilitating educational system change efforts across the nation and globe.
Topic: 
Education, Equity in Education, Education Policy, School Climate, Social and Emotional Learning, Technology for Teaching and Learning
26 Nov 2018
Spotlight

Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students

Safe and supportive school communities foster students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Educators want actionable strategies and practices to ensure that all students can access equitable learning environments. Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools helps school leaders make sense of the various evidence-based resources and frameworks designed to support the whole child.
Topic: 
Education, School Climate, Social and Emotional Learning, Youth Development
12 Jun 2019
Toolkit

Inclusive Technology in a 21st Century Learning System

Technology is a part of nearly every aspect of our daily lives—including the public education system. AIR, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and more than 10 other organizations collaborated on the development of publications to ensure educational technology conception, design, procurement, use, and evaluation close rather than widen opportunity gaps between students with and without disabilities.
Topic: 
Education, Special Education, Technology for Teaching and Learning
24 Mar 2020
Toolkit

SEL Online Learning Module: Creating a Well-Rounded Educational Experience

This free online course from AIR was designed as an introduction to social and emotional learning (SEL) for educators who endeavor to create a well-rounded educational experience. This introductory course is designed for all educators to ensure that the whole school community is engaged in the adoption and implementation of sustainable SEL practices.
Topic: 
Education, Social and Emotional Learning

Further Reading