Education in the United States, as across the globe, changed dramatically when schools across the country closed in spring 2020 and students were asked to learn remotely. There is a critical opportunity now to listen to and learn from students’ lived experiences during this unprecedented time. As we navigate the challenges ahead, students’ voices must be central to the way school is reimagined.

This report shares data and insights gathered from the Students Weigh In: Learning & Well-Being During COVID-19 survey. This ~12 minute online survey, fielded from May 11^th and June 19^th in English and Spanish, asked 5^th to 12^th grade students age-appropriate questions about their school experience, social and emotional development, and well-being during the unprecedented spring 2020 school closures. Over 20,000 students responded from 166 schools across 9 states. For more information about the methodology, please click here. 

Here are five key insights we learned from students: 

• Only half of students said their teachers give them assignments that really help them learn and 39 percent said they learn a lot every day. 

• The most frequently cited obstacles to virtual learning were distractions at home (64 percent) and feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious (50 percent). On average, Black and Latinx students faced more obstacles than White and Asian students. 

• On average, about half of students rated their relationships with teachers and adults in school positively – but only one in three rated their sense of belonging positively. 

• Male students rated their health and well-being more positively than did female students and students who identify in another way. 

• One in five high school seniors’ postsecondary plans have changed.

By harnessing student insights about this unique time, YouthTruth’s Students Weigh In survey aims to help K-12 educators and their partners better understand students’ experiences, pivot their approaches, and target resources where they are needed most – as a result, improving the school experience for every student even as we navigate the profound challenges in education.

To access the summary of findings, hit Next.