A new report from the Brookings Institution highlights a significant gap between parents’ and students’ perceptions of the quality of learning in schools. While over 70% of parents believe their children are learning a lot each day, less than half of high school students feel the same. The report, released by Brookings’ Center for Universal Education, also shows that parents tend to overestimate how much their children enjoy school.

Key Findings:

• The divergence in perceptions grows with age, with fewer students reporting positive experiences as they progress through school.
• Less than one-third of middle and high school students feel that what they learn is relevant to life outside the classroom or that they have a say in their education.
• Only 36% of students in grades 6-12 feel they can develop their own ideas at school.
• The percentage of students who “love” going to school drops from 74% in third grade to 29% in 12th grade.

Parental Perceptions:

• Parents consistently respond more positively than students about school experiences.
• By freshman year, only 30% of students say they love attending school, compared to nearly 70% of parents who believe their children love it.

Impact of the Pandemic:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has further strained the connection between families and schools, leaving many parents under-informed about their children’s academic progress.
• Elevated rates of chronic absenteeism have compounded the issue, making it harder for teachers to teach and students to learn.

Recommendations:

• Schools and districts should provide more feedback to parents about student engagement.
• Alternative schooling models that emphasize student choice and real-world application of learning could improve student engagement and enjoyment.