Benchmarking COVID-19 Instructional Time Guidance Among 20 Districts

EAB researchers identified publicly available information on distance learning plans from districts in the Washington Area Board of Education (WABE) and from the 10 largest school districts in the U.S. (by enrollment, according to the U.S. Census Bureau) to explore allocations of instructional time within distance learning plans and associated technology (i.e., learning management system (LMS), video conferencing platform).

Instructional time by grade range

In this report, “instructional time” is defined as time spent on core subject areas (e.g., English language arts (ELA), math, science, social studies) and—if the information was available—time spent on electives and specials (e.g., physical education (PE), art, music, etc.). Flex learning was not included in calculations of instructional time within distance learning plans, as most districts that provide flex learning suggestions (i.e., encourage students to explore personal interests/passions) do not offer specific time guidance for how long students should spend on these activities. Further, optional office hours were not incorporated into calculations of instructional time—unless administrators specify that the time block could be used for office hours or independent student work.

• Multiple profiled districts recommend a daily minimum of one instructional hour for pre-K students
• Most profiled districts recommend 3-4 hours or less of daily instructional time for elementary students
• Profiled districts generally allocate between 30 and 60 minutes for each subject area for secondary students

Most profiled districts use Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and Microsoft Teams

Profiled districts most commonly use Google Classroom (i.e., 9 districts), Canvas (i.e., 6 districts), Schoology (i.e., 4 districts), and Microsoft Teams (i.e., 4 districts). Note that a few districts appear to use more than one LMS. At 11 profiled districts, teachers use Zoom to provide distance instruction to and/or communicate with students.

The table below outlines the LMS and video conferencing platform in use at each profiled district. The table does not include curriculum platforms (e.g., Edgenuity, iReady, Apex, Edmentum) or single sign-on portals (e.g., Clever). Some districts, such as Arlington Public Schools and Falls Church City Public Schools, do not explicitly provide information on their video conferencing platforms. However, districts that use Google Classroom as their LMS may use the associated Google Meet or Google Live Stream for video conferencing—even if administrators do not explicitly state so in distance learning plans. Similarly, districts that use Canvas and Schoology as their LMS may use the associated video conferencing features.