Editorial Staff

Poll Finds Mixed Views About Schools’ Pandemic Performance

/in , , , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Read media coverage of this report in The Boston Herald, NBC 10, WCVB, Boston 25, CommonWealth magazine, State House News Service, WHDH, Yahoo News and EducationNext. 

Massachusetts residents more satisfied with performance of individual teachers than with school districts, teachers’ unions

BOSTON – A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts residents have mixed opinions about how K-12 education has functioned, but they tend to view the performance of individual teachers more favorably than that of institutions like school districts and teachers’ unions, according to a poll of 1,500 residents commissioned by Pioneer Institute.

“Massachusetts residents have not been satisfied with the remote learning Massachusetts schools are providing during the pandemic,” said Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios.  “And they place a fair amount of the blame on the shoulders of both school districts and teachers’ unions.”

Overall grades

A plurality of respondents (29 percent) gave schools a grade of “C” for their pandemic performance.  “B” was the second most common grade, at 26 percent.  Overall, 65 percent gave schools an “A”, “B” or “C.”  Seventy percent of parents/guardians rated schools an A, B, or C.

Grades were lower among parents with three or more children.  Twenty-two percent gave the schools an “F,” compared to 13 percent of parents with one child and 11 percent of those with two.

Influence of teachers’ unions

When asked to rate teachers’ union involvement in decisions to teach remotely on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most involved, a plurality (31 percent) rated union involvement a 10.  A higher percentage of Bostonians (36 percent) ranked teachers’ union involvement a 10.  Just over half of parents/guardians placed it at 8 or higher.

By a 45 percent to 39 percent margin, state residents believed that teachers’ unions haven’t acted in the best interests of children during the pandemic.  Among parents who don’t work in the schools, 49 percent said the unions have not acted in the best interest of children, compared to 37 percent who believe they have.

Residents were more satisfied with the performance of individual teachers.  About half were very or somewhat satisfied, with only 29 percent somewhat or totally unsatisfied.

Impact on children

Among parents asked how much their children’s education had been compromised during the pandemic as a result of learning remotely, a plurality (21 percent) replied 10 when asked to rate on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the most compromised.   A majority (54 percent) rated the degree to which their children’s education had been compromised at seven or higher.

Sixteen percent of parents said their children’s education was inadequate enough that they would consider having them repeat the grade.  Another 26 percent were unsure.

The more education was remote and asynchronous, the more likely parents were to believe their children should repeat the grade.  Only 9 percent of parents whose children had 16 or more hours per week of synchronous education would consider having them repeat, while the number rose to 23 percent among parents whose children’s education was totally asynchronous.

Forty-three percent of parents believed their children’s socialization has been entirely inadequate during the pandemic.

Parents of children receiving special education services have been generally happy with those services during the pandemic.  Thirty-eight percent said the services have been somewhat adequate and 26 percent said they have been very adequate.

The poll was conducted by Emerson College Polling between March 19 and 21.  It has a +/- 2.4 percent margin of error for the questions asked of Massachusetts residents, 3.9 percent for parent questions and 6.3 percent for parents of children with special needs.

About Pioneer Institute

Pioneer’s mission is to develop and communicate dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond.

Pioneer’s vision of success is a state and nation where our people can prosper and our society thrive because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and where our government is limited, accountable and transparent.

Pioneer values an America where our citizenry is well-educated and willing to test our beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas, and committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise.

Get Updates on Our Education Research

Related Content:

UK’s Dr. Paula Byrne on Jane Austen’s 250th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Helen Baxendale celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with Dr. Paula Byrne, Lady Bate, a distinguished biographer and literary critic. Dr. Byrne explores the key influences that shaped Austen’s life, the major themes of her novels, and the enduring relevance of heroines like Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood. She also shares insights from her books The Real Jane Austen and The Genius of Jane Austen, shedding light on Austen’s love of theater and the lasting appeal of her works in Hollywood.

We Have a Long Way to Go for Massachusetts Residents to Have the Government Transparency We Deserve

As Pioneer Institute observes Sunshine Week,?we are disappointed by the legislature’s attempts to deny what the vast majority of voters want: an audit of the legislature by our State Auditor. Trying to avoid an audit further exacerbates the loss of public trust. After all, what are we left to think? Do they have something to hide? That is not the government our founders intended; nor is it what 72 percent of Massachusetts voters wanted. This year, during Sunshine Week, we are entirely focused on the top three actions to bring sunlight to the state legislature. They are: 

EdChoice’s Robert Enlow on School Choice

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice. Mr. Enlow discusses his decades of leadership in school choice advocacy, from his early work with the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation to spearheading policy reforms nationwide.

Pioneer Institute Study Finds Outdated U.S. Immigration System Delays Creation of 150,000 Businesses and 500,000 Jobs

Global competitors seizing opportunities to attract top talent

Frontier Institute’s Trish Schreiber on School Choice & Charter Schools in Montana

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities.

The Lost Decade Calls for Replacing “Social Justice Education” with Education Rich in Liberal Arts, includes a foreword by John McWhorter

Book finds that marginalized students suffer most from turn away from academics 

The House Call – Cambridge Adopts a Zoning Ordinance Allowing 4 to 6-Story Residential Buildings Citywide

The March edition of The House Call covers recent zoning changes in Cambridge that allow 4 to 6-story buildings on every residential lot. It also summarizes reform recommendations from a state commission tasked with advising the Healey administration on how to ramp up housing production.

Closing the Doors, Leaving a Legacy: Embark Microschool’s Story

Microschools launch and close more easily than traditional schools—is that a feature or a bug? This week on Microschooling Journeys, Brian Hyosaka shares the story of Embark Micro Middle School in Denver, a tuition-free, philanthropy-backed microschool closing after six successful years. Rather than charge tuition or become a charter, they chose to "go out on top." Embark’s legacy includes inspiring hundreds of educators. Folks, this is where we leave our limited podcast series.  Microschooling Journeys has come to an end, if you listened,  thank you, please give me a shout, I’d love your feedback.  This is Curious Mike signing off!

Study: Inclusionary Zoning Helps Some, but Can Jeopardize Broad-Based Affordability

Policies often force developers to raise market-rate prices to compensate for losses on affordable units

UK Oxford’s Robin Lane Fox on Homer & The Iliad

In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview Robin Lane Fox, distinguished classicist and Emeritus Fellow at Oxford. Prof. Lane Fox offers profound insights into Homer’s Iliad and its enduring significance. He explores the epic’s historical and literary context, from its roots in oral tradition to its lasting influence on Western culture.