OVERVIEW
Education in San Joaquin County and across the country changed dramatically when the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close this past spring. Since then, coronavirus cases have increased exponentially, with California overtaking New York in August as the state with the highest case count overall. Economically, families have suffered greatly as a result of coronavirus, with the unemployment rate reaching nearly 15% in June in California alone. Finally, reactions to the treatment of Black lives ignited protests around the country after the cruel and unjust killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
During this moment of historic challenge, there has been limited data about how the pandemic is affecting parents, teachers, and students both nationally and locally in San Joaquin County. As a community non-profit that seeks to elevate parent and student voice on critical issues in education, San Joaquin A+ recently commissioned a survey of parents in the Stockton area and compiled a summary of national polls to understand how parents, teachers, and students are feeling about these recent developments. It is our hope that this information will help inform educators, local leaders, and parents as they work together to develop plans for school re-opening.