New Report from CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap
During the spring 2021 semester, the CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap (CCOG) launched the “COVID-19 Challenges and Pressing Needs Shared by Teachers” survey to learn about and respond to the experiences and urgent needs of local Southern California teachers. The survey focused on three areas: a) the challenges teachers experienced during the lockdown, b) their urgent needs as they transition to in-person and/or hybrid instructional models, and c) the resources they currently have access to support their work.
In this report, COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND PRESSING NEEDS FACING TEACHERS, authors examine the challenges respondents encountered during the abrupt transition to remote learning, the urgent needs they are currently facing as they transition again, and their access to critical resources at this time. Authors draw on results to discuss how school leaders could better support teachers and what respondents feel still needs to be understood about their new reality. The results reveal strong calls for educators to be included in the decision-making processes that impact school policies and practices. There is also consistent agreement across grade levels and school types that students’ emotional well-being must be supported as school communities return to in-person or hybrid instruction. Moreover, survey results suggest teachers need access to meaningful professional development to support the academic and mental health needs of students.
The CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap is a state supported multi-campus initiative with regional networks that collaboratively learn, work, and leverage opportunities across sectors, to support systemic change and advance K-12 students’ academic success. Established at California State University Long Beach, and in partnership with San Diego State University, California State University Fullerton and San Jose State University, the Center focuses on identifying and refining proven strategies to eliminate equity gaps at all levels of education. The CCOG shares resources, tools and evidence-based best practices with colleges of education across the CSU and education partners across California.
