The education department launched a family survey Friday to check how remote learning, now in its fourth week, is going.
As the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered schools, students, teachers, and parents have been adjusting their lives to remote learning.
While the transition has been a frustrating adjustment for some, it has been especially tough on families who are balancing work or don’t have the technology or internet access to get online. Now, families are in for the long haul. Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that school buildings will remain closed for the rest of the school year (though Gov. Andrew Cuomo insists he has final say, and has so far extended closures to May 15).
Feedback from the survey will help schools “make adjustments and best serve the NYCDOE community during these unprecedented times,” said Danielle Filson, a spokesperson for the education department, in a statement.
The 15-question survey is available online until May 1 in 10 languages. It is split up by borough, but has the same questions for everyone.
Responses will be anonymous, and results will be shared with individual schools the week of May 4, but won’t be publicly released, according to the education department. Students in grades 6-12 can also take the survey. The survey asks parents and students to rate how they feel about a range of things, including their emotional well-being, and how reliable their internet access is.
Families without internet can call 311 for instructions on taking the survey over the phone.
Chancellor Richard Carranza will be writing a letter to schools to tell them about the survey. Schools and parent coordinators will also reach out to families, and flyers will be sent to elected officials, advocates, and community-based organizations.