25 Investigates: New poll suggests Mass. parents more worried about student academics
The statewide survey went out to 1,126 parents of Massachusetts students enrolled in grades K-12, oversampling Black, Latino and Asian parents.
'We have seen elevated rates of chronic absenteeism, and we know students continue to face ongoing struggles with mental health,' says Jennie Williamson, the state director of the EdTrust in Massachusetts.
There are also academic struggles as 25 Investigates has documented. In 2024, 40% of Massachusetts 4th graders were reading at or above grade level, according to The Nation's Report Card.
Williamson says 5 years post-COVID, students and families are still grappling with the profound impacts of the pandemic while districts face shrinking budgets.
The poll says 43% of Massachusetts parents expressed concern this year about their students' academic performance. That's up from 36% when EdTrust asked that question in 2022.
It's more acute for parents of students with disabilities of whom 60% say they are somewhat or very concerned. 69% of parents of multilingual learners say they're concerned.
'45% of parents report being concerned about their child's mental health and emotional health,' Williamson said.
That worry is also higher for parents of students with disabilities at 63%.
Williamson said the survey also revealed a persistent digital divide.
'The digital divide is not merely a relic of the pandemic, but an ongoing and for some populations, an intensifying issue,' said Williamson.
Survey results show only 68% of parents from low-income backgrounds say that their family has access to enough devices, which is down from 80% in 2020.
94% of parents from higher income backgrounds say that they have sufficient access to devices.
Williamson says it will be important to see how state lawmakers utilize funds from the fair share tax to address concerns around education, when there are so many competing priorities for investment.
The concerns may be influencing trust in schools. 62% of parents said their child's teacher is doing the best they can. 47% said the same about their child's school. 40% felt their child's district was doing the best they can.
'Most school districts are really facing an increasingly precarious financial predicament between the recent expiration of COVID funds and the looming threat of federal funding reductions at the national level,' Williamson said. 'I think our school districts are really struggling to meet the needs of students while facing significant fiscal uncertainty.'
Related links:
25 Investigates: Lawmakers, advocates want to revamp reading instruction in Mass. schools
25 Investigates: Massachusetts launching free teacher trainings focused on literacy
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