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Summary of the AEP COVID-19 Surveys

Core Content

The American Educator Panels (AEP) conducted Spring 2020 COVID-19 surveys to document the impact of the pandemic on K-12 schools in the United States. These surveys aimed to capture teachers' and school leaders' experiences, school operational status, distance learning practices, and future plans for the next school year. The data collected were nationally representative and included oversamples of schools serving large percentages of students of color and students in poverty, allowing for the analysis of disparities in educational support during the pandemic.

Main Points

• School Closure:

  • Most schools closed in March 13–March 19, with only a small percentage closing earlier or later.
  • 99% of schools were providing distance learning materials or resources.

• Distance Learning:

  • Teachers reported a mix of review and new content, with 25% mostly reviewing content and 23% mostly presenting new content.
  • 82% of schools provided optional learning materials and 82% provided required instructional materials.
  • Feedback mechanisms varied: 56% provided feedback without grades, 31% used pass/fail grades, and 35% provided letter grades.

• Teacher and Principal Demographics:

  • 76% of teachers were female, with 58% holding a master’s degree or higher.
  • Target schools (those serving at least 50% students of color or in poverty) had a higher proportion of teachers with special education and English language learners in their classes.
  • Target schools also had higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

• Survey Participation:

  • 1,000 teachers and 957 school leaders completed the surveys.
  • Completion rates were 51% for teachers and 27.3% for school leaders.
  • Oversampling was used to ensure adequate representation of target schools.

• School Operational Status:

  • 86% of teachers expected their schools to not reopen before the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
  • 97% of teachers were still employed and being paid for the same number of hours as before the closure.

• Survey Methodology:

  • The surveys were probability-based, with calibrated weighting to reflect the national population of teachers and principals.
  • The main weight was calculated as the product of sampling frame, sample selection, and response weights.
  • Recalibration and trimming were applied to reduce bias and outliers.

Key Information

• The surveys were conducted from April 27 to May 11, 2020.
• Open-ended questions were excluded from this report but will be summarized in a future report.
• Schools that did not close were screened out of the survey.
• The definition of distance learning included online instruction and hard-copy materials.
• The data will be used to understand disparities in educational support and to guide future policy and practice.

Topics Covered in the Surveys

• Background on teachers and their students
• School operational status
• Distance learning practices
• Supports for teachers and families
• Challenges and needed supports
• Postsecondary transitions
• Future plans for the next school year
• Teachers’ and principals’ concerns

Subgroup Analysis

• The report includes results for total, target, and nontarget schools.
• Target schools showed higher percentages of students from minority backgrounds and those receiving free or reduced-price lunch.
• Nontarget schools had lower percentages of such students.
• The weighted descriptive statistics ensure that the sample reflects the national population of educators and students.

Conclusion

The AEP surveys offer a comprehensive view of the shift to distance learning and the challenges faced by schools during the Spring 2020 closure. They highlight disparities in resources and support for target schools, which serve students of color and those in poverty. The methodological rigor of the surveys, including calibrated weighting and oversampling, ensures that the findings are representative and useful for policy and research.