Diagnosing New Jersey's Unique COVID-19 Challenges With Data: First Poll of New Jersey Parents This School Year Shows Stark Racial and Income Disparities in Learning Experience

NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst a statewide spike in COVID-19 cases and an increasing pivot back to more remote learning, the first statewide poll of New Jersey parents this school year shows that families want a better remote education experience. The poll also identified stark racial and income disparities in access to the additional learning help students need to be successful. The statewide survey was conducted by Global Strategy Group and commissioned by the New Jersey Children's Foundation and the statewide advocacy group JerseyCAN to provide better information to the public and policymakers about the effect of COVID-19 on the state's 1.3M+ public school students and their families.

New Jersey parents voiced mixed views on remote learning, with only 42% of parents rating the experience as very successful. The statewide survey also found wide gaps in the educational opportunities afforded to low-income, Black and Latinx students during the pandemic, as well as tremendous disparity in economic security faced by these families as a result of the massive shift to remote learning.

"Parents are clearly asking for more from their schools. Public education is neither free nor constitutionally adequate if New Jersey parents don't have equitable access to the technology, internet service, food, and extra support programs necessary for their students to be successful," said Kyle Rosenkrans, executive director of the New Jersey Children's Foundation, a Newark-based non-profit that commissioned the poll. 

"Based on this poll, parents' top concern is ensuring that their children do not fall behind academically, and parents want more access to their children's teachers, as well as information about whether their children are on grade level. We need a bold state policy agenda to address these concerns and get students back on track academically and provide the right social and emotional supports as well," said Janellen Duffy, senior advisor at JerseyCAN, a statewide education policy and advocacy organization.

"The need for remote learning for students during the coronavirus pandemic is certainly understood, but clearly the disruptions have had a greater effect on low-income families because of disparities in access to computers, speed and reliability of home internet connections, and less direct instruction from teachers," stated Vivian Cox Fraser, President & CEO, Urban League of Essex County. "Since the pandemic started in March, achievement gaps have been growing. While school districts such as Newark have ensured that children have computers, many students are not consistently engaging with remote assignments. The only way to achieve a comprehensive solution is that we must come together to adopt a holistic approach and provide more supplemental learning and start bringing far more resources into the home."

"These survey results confirm what has been long known, but too often not addressed in providing remedies and resources for students of color in New Jersey," said President Richard Smith, New Jersey's State Conference of the NAACP. "Just as we saw in the spring, we continue to see many Black and Brown students experiencing significant learning loss. There is no doubt our academic response to COVID has exacerbated too many students' academic achievement gap in our communities. Our state must seek and obtain the needed resources and remedies to address the unequal education and educational opportunities that are hindering the current and future development of communities of color."

"Families - particularly low-income families and families in urban communities - need greater support from all levels of government to weather the storm of this pandemic," said Shennell McCloud, Executive Director of the Newark-based Project Ready. "It's critical that we work to close the digital divide in the coming weeks so that remote learning reaches everyone equitably."

Among the key findings of the poll:

• Parents of color and low-income parents are more likely to say that their child is fully remote learning.
• Financial and work insecurity are top concerns for low-income parents and parents of color.
• Low-income parents and low-income parents of color are disproportionately likely to want additional support that they aren't currently receiving.

To review the survey in its entirety and a complete understanding of its methodology, please click here.

Contact: Matthew Frankel, MDF Strategies, [email protected], 917-617-7914

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FIRST POLL OF NEW JERSEY PARENTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR SHOWS STARK RACIAL AND INCOME DISPARITIES IN LEARNING EXPERIENCE

SOURCE New Jersey Children's Foundation