Two-thirds of parents are worried about post-pandemic learning: What your school needs to know

As young children start school and older kids transition to new educational stages, parents are grappling with concerns about their children’s post-pandemic growth and development. This prompts important questions for school leaders:

• Are they anxious about their kids entering middle school, high school, and beyond after the disruptions?
• Do parents believe learning loss is fixable, or fear it will have lasting impacts?
• How many parents worry their child may never catch up academically?
• What are the solutions moving forward?

A recent survey reveals that nearly two-thirds of parents are worried their child isn’t reaching their full potential. Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Presence, the study involved 2,000 parents of school-aged children and revealed some illuminating insights.

WHAT ARE PARENTS WORRIED ABOUT?

Overall, 2 in 3 parents (66%) are anxious about their child’s growth and development. Parents are concerned about:

• Emotional well-being: 37%
• Social development: 28%
• Future preparedness: 24%
• Behavioral issues: 23%

WHAT PROMPTS PARENT CONCERNS?

85% of parents notice something worrying about their child at least once a month, while 20% say it happens everyday. The most common red flags for parents are:

• Their child’s grades: 28%
• New behaviors or habits: 28%
• Concerning comments from their child: 22%
• Feedback from their child’s teacher: 20%

Navigating the new normal in education

The pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges—school closures, distance learning obstacles, and attendance disruptions, to name a few. Even years later, the return to academic normalcy feels out of reach for many students and parents. As districts work to address learning loss, having a clear understanding of the data and the reality students face is essential.

WHERE ARE STUDENTS STRUGGLING?

42% of parents say they’re more stressed now than in previous school years when it comes to their child’s academic success. Post-pandemic, parents believe their children are still playing catch up in the following areas:

• Core subjects: 49%
• Emotional resilience: 38%
• Making friends: 32%
• Staying attentive: 32%
• Practicing good classroom behavior: 27%
• Practicing healthy routines: 20%

HOW DO PARENTS ACT ON THEIR CONCERNS?

Almost all of today’s parents (92%) are willing to go to “any lengths necessary” to help their child succeed in school. The most common first steps are:

• Speaking with their child about the issues – 45%
• Talking with their child’s teacher – 20%
• Trying to solve the issue by themselves – 10%

WHAT STOPS PARENTS FROM SEEKING SUPPORT?

Social stigma looms large in the minds of parents, with nearly three-fourths (72%) saying the opinion of others impacts their willingness to get their child assessed for a learning disability. Other roadblocks include:

• Financial concerns: 28%
• Feeling uncertain about whether their child really needs extra help: 22%
• Not knowing where to get help: 21%
• Long assessment wait times at school: 17%

Bridging the gap: Parents and schools must work together

With lingering impacts from the pandemic, worsening literacy crisis, and continued teacher shortages, students, parents, and schools continue to face significant challenges. Over half of parents (53%) believe their child is behind in school, and 91% fear they may remain so throughout their education. Still, hope lies in action. With 88% of parents willing to call in a third-party to help their kids, many schools are rising to the occasion with innovative solutions like in-class tutoring, flexible scheduling, AI, teletherapy, and expanded professional development for teachers. Together, with a shared vision for success, schools and parents can turn these challenges into stepping stones, empowering students to not only recover but thrive.