60% of K–8 Parents Now 'Hesitant' to Send Kids Back to School in the Fall

Amid new fears arising over the Delta variant and wildly contradictory messaging on COVID-19 policy at all levels of government, parents appear to be growing increasingly concerned about sending their kids back to school in the fall.

These and other factors have left parents facing difficult decisions about in-person instruction in the fall.

In a new survey of parents of K–8 students from Stride Inc., when asked if schools should offer an online option for school at all times, regardless of the pandemic, only 31.7% said no. The plurality (47.3%) responded yes, and 21% were unsure.

A majority, 60.4%, said they were concerned about sending their kids back to in-person instruction in the fall, and 59.6% said they were somewhat concerned or very concerned about exposure to unvaccinated adults in school. Nearly a third were unconcerned about their children contracting COVID or spreading it to family members, but more than two-thirds were concerned about those possibilities:

  • 26% were concerned about their kids contracting COVID-19;

  • 7.9% were more concerned about their kids spreading COVID-19 to family members; and

  • 33.5% were concerned about both possibilities.

Regardless, at the time of the survey, nearly 70% of parents planned to send their kids to school in-person. About 26% plan on a mix of environments for their kids. And only about 4% planned for their kids to be online-only.

When asked about their feelings regarding back-to-school, the biggest response (26.6%) was "hopeful." The second-largest (20%) was "anxious." These were followed by "excited" (12.4%), "indifferent" (12.3%), "happy" (8.4%) and "afraid" (7.8%).

In guidance updated today, the CDC recommended that all students, staff and teachers wear masks in K–12 schools, regardless of vaccination status, reversing its stance on masks for the second time since the pandemic started and sending mixed signals about the efficacy of the vaccine two days after the United States hit it 70% vaccination target for adults.

The complete survey, including raw data, is available at K12.com.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • digital learning resources including a document, video tutorial, quiz checklist, pie chart, and AI cloud icon

    Quizizz Rebrands as Wayground, Announces New AI Features

    Learning platform Quizizz has become Wayground, in a rebranding meant to reflect "the platform's evolution from a quiz tool into a more versatile supplemental learning platform that's supported by AI," according to a news announcement.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.