Twenty-eight percent of California parents moved their child to a new school during the pandemic and another 28 percent are considering a switch, reports a new poll.
Charter schools gained the most new students, writes Emma Gallegos on EdSource. Twenty-three percent of parents surveyed had a child in a charter, compared to 15 percent before the switch. Homeschooling rose from 3 percent pre-pandemic to 7 percent. Traditional public schools lost enrollment.
Of those who switched, 38 percent wanted a different educational experience, 31 percent were dissatisfied with Covid-19 protocols and 30 percent wanted more individual support for their child.
Parents who said they'd moved their child to a new school were more likely to have above-average incomes and to be white, Democratic and native English speakers. Asian Americans and immigrants were the least likely to report changing schools.