Educators perceive that student engagement and behavior are declining.

Educators feel that students are less engaged than ever before and are seeking new strategies and supports for improving student engagement. Many also feel that student behavior has declined sharply, alongside student and family engagement.

Sample Educator Conversations:

  • Teachers report families seeming, anecdotally, less inclined to engage with educators, such as responding to fewer emails, and compare notes on this notice.
    • One teacher theorized this could be due to too many school email blasts and the online availability of grades. 
  • Teachers report declines in student engagement, with observations including:
    • “After teaching elementary for almost 30 years … we should all be sounding the alarm. This is an emergency.”
    • “Can’t understand they need to be called on, talking during tests, giving each other homework to copy.”
    • “Seeing levels of disengagement in fourth grade that I have never seen before in 20 years.”
    • “They are 100% passively waiting for information. I ask questions and in some classes cannot get ANYONE to raise their hand.”
  • Teachers exchange theories about the reason they are seeing less engagement, with ideas including:
    • “Upper elementary is a tech stupor.”
    • “Kids aren’t being prepared for the norms of middle school.”
    • “The impacts of over-correction while implementing evidence-based practice.”