Schooling during COVID-19

Throughout the 2020-21 school year, TERA worked with six school districts in Tennessee to inform evidence-based decision making as they sought to best support their students during and after the pandemic. As part of this effort, we analyzed data typically collected by schools—such as enrollment, attendance, and teacher retention data—and supported districts in conducting surveys to better understand the experiences of students and teachers.

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Published:

May 2021


Authors:

Susan Kemper Patrick

S. Colby Woods

Nisha Bala

Francisco A. Santelli



Key Findings

 

  • Students felt supported by their teachers, but some students struggled with motivation and engagement with virtual learning.
  • More students were chronically absent this fall than in previous years, and absenteeism increased the most among English Learners, students of color, and students who are economically disadvantaged.
  • Student enrollment decreased in the lowest grades, and more students withdrew for homeschooling, transferred to non-public schools, and dropped out this year than in previous years.
  • Retention rates for teachers and school leaders increased in all districts this fall, but many educators reported that they have had increased responsibilities, insufficient planning time, and concerns with burnout.

Suggested Citation

Patrick, S. K., Woods, S. C., Bala, N., & Santelli, F. A. (2021). Schooling during COVID-19: Fall semester trends from six Tennessee school districts. Tennessee Education Research Alliance.

 

Susan Kemper Patrick

Susan Kemper Patrick

Dr. Patrick is a Senior Researcher on the Educator Quality team at the Learning Policy Institute

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S. Colby Woods

S. Colby Woods

Colby Woods is a Senior Research Specialist at Tennessee Education Research Alliance

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Nisha Bala

Nisha Bala

Nisha Bala is a Research Associate at WestEd

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Francisco A. Santelli

Francisco A. Santelli

Francisco Santelli is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University

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