August 14, 2020
Dear colleagues,
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed incredible educational challenges, including numerous school closures and created an unprecedented level of activity in the online learning space. Relatedly, as states, districts, and schools transitioned in spring 2020 towards virtual and remote learning, new questions were posed: Should attendance still be taken? How is attendance measured in a remote learning environment? How can student engagement that leads to positive learning outcomes be measured in the virtual space?
To help disseminate promising practices and strategies in online learning, Insight Policy Research and the American Institutes for Research (contract GS-10F-0136X with the US Department of Education) published Promising Practices Brief: Improving Student Engagement and Attendance During COVID-19 School Closures. This resource provides an overview of the research on student engagement and attendance in online environments and highlights the efforts of five districts across the country to support student attendance and engagement during emergency school closures in the spring of 2020.
We hope you find this publication helpful and timely in your efforts to meet the educational challenges posed by COVID-19. To stay involved or for more information please reach out via email to nsaescenter@insightpolicyresearch.com.
Best,
Patrick Rooney, Director
School Support and Accountability
