August 7, 2021
How going remote led to dramatic drops in public school students
Kindergarten students nationwide and in California became the biggest group to opt out of remote-only schooling during the pandemic.
Special Reports
Special Report
Remote's impact on the youngest
The pandemic-driven decision by public schools nationwide and across California to offer mostly remote learning drove more than one million students not to enroll either online or in person. Kindergarteners were the biggest group – 344,000 students, according to a novel data analysis of 65,000 schools nationwide. In California, the kindergarten enrollment loss was 61,000, the steepest drop in 20 years. With a new school year approaching, educators are looking to reconnect with these students amid worries that upticks in Covid infections can revive remote instruction.