District Letter to Parents about Pandemic Pods in K-12
As many districts are starting the 2020-2021 school year in a partially or fully virtual instructional model, families will need to simultaneously manage childcare, schooling, and work. Pandemic pods—also referred to as learning pods, educational pods, or microschools—seem like a promising way to alleviate this burden, mitigate students’ learning loss, and create connection and community.
In a pandemic pod, a small group of students gather to form a shared homeschooling environment.
Some parents plan to pool funds to pay for private tutors and/or separate, private spaces (outside of the home) to support learning. Others plan to dedicate a parent pod leader or rotate parents to distribute childcare responsibilities. And while some pods plan to supplement the school district’s curriculum, others are formally withdrawing from districts and choosing their own curriculum, similar to the home-school model.
As the New York Times and many other news outlets have reported recently, the inequity and privilege inherent in these pandemic pods are concerning. For example, not every child has equal access to a pod. Some families simply do not have the network or resources (such as time, flexibility, and/or financial means) to form or join a pod. Many districts are trying to figure out how to manage these pods to avoid worsening inequities and segregation, and how to ensure students remain enrolled in the public school system to avoid the loss of funding.
To help district and school leaders increase community awareness of these concerns, we have created a template letter to parents about pandemic pods. Administrators can use this customizable letter—by directly integrating our scripting into district communications—as a starting point to inform families of pod concerns. In the face of pandemic pods, districts can publicly reaffirm a commitment to equitable learning for all students by not honoring parent requests to assign classrooms based on pod arrangements. We’ve included sample scripting on communicating this decision in the letter.
Dear [DISTRICT NAME] families,
All of us recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has created uniquely challenging circumstances in public school education. As [DISTRICT NAME] starts the fall semester in a fully virtual instructional model, we acknowledge the significant burden placed on families to simultaneously manage childcare, schooling, and work.
On the surface, pandemic pods—also referred to as learning pods, educational pods, or microschools—seem like a promising way to alleviate this burden, mitigate students’ learning loss, and create connection and community. While we appreciate parent resourcefulness in creating pandemic pods, we do want to outline some associated health, safety, and equity concerns.
Our top priority is the health and safety of all students and families. According to CDC guidelines, we should limit in-person interactions, maintain social distance, and wear masks. Pandemic pods, with regular close-contact interactions among different families, could contribute to COVID-19 community spread and potentially delay the safe reopening of school.
Further, we are concerned that pandemic pods will exacerbate socioeconomic segregation and deepen academic achievement gaps in our community and across the country. Not every child has equal access to a pandemic pod. We ask that you take equity into consideration if you decide to form a pandemic pod.
At [DISTRICT NAME], our goal is to create welcoming and inclusive learning environments. As such, we have spent considerable time and effort at each school to intentionally build classrooms that meet every child’s academic and social-emotional needs. Therefore, schools will not grant requests to place students in classes and with teachers based on pandemic pods.
Thank you in advance for your understanding. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure all students have a successful 2020-2021 school year.
Sincerely,
[School and/or district administrator]
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