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…