NEW YORK (WKBW) — A new study indicates that students of color or students from lower-income backgrounds in New York state are far more likely to be learning remotely and less likely to have in-person learning than the schools with the smallest share of students from low-income backgrounds or students of color.
According to The Education Trust-New York, students enrolled in the schools with the greatest share of students from low-income backgrounds are 1.7 times more likely to be learning remotely than students in schools with the smallest share of students from low-income backgrounds.
Meanwhile, students in the schools with the greatest share of students of color are 1.4 times more likely to be learning remotely than students in schools with the smallest share of students of color.
The Education Trust-New York says reliance on remote learning in these underserved communities raises significant educational equity questions for state policymakers and underscores the need for public statewide data on critical remote learning issues, which include the following
- availability of personal learning devices and high-speed internet
- the amount of live instruction
- student attendance and engagement
“The reopening guidelines issued by state education leaders represented a positive step on the path to reopening New York’s schools stronger and more equitably this fall,” said Dia Bryant, deputy director and chief partnerships officer for The Education Trust–New York. “Now it is imperative that all students have access to the resources and support they need to fully participate in learning, whether remote, in-person, or a blend of the two.”
The Education Trust-New York looked at enrollment information each school district submitted to the New York State Department of Health for its “COVID-19 Report Card” as of October 7th.
Among the data, the state's 'big four' school districts which include Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers have 82 percent of their students learning remotely.
Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are fully remote, while Yonkers is reporting significant hybrid learning during this period.
Additionally, elsewhere in New York state, students in the schools with the greatest share of students from low-income backgrounds are 2.1 times more likely to be learning remotely than students in the schools with the smallest share of students from low-income backgrounds.
While students in the schools with the greatest share of students of color are 1.6 times more likely to be learning remotely than students in the schools with the smallest share of students of color, according to the data.
You can read more about the state's COVID-19 report card here.
