current issues in dance education

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Dance Education

About dance & dance education, what is dance.

Dance is most broadly defined as the rhythmic movement of the body in time and space. Dance may be considered the oldest art form, as it predates language and embodies one of our most primal relationships to the universe. Movement is innate in children before they possess command over language and is evoked when thoughts or emotions are too powerful for words to contain. As humans, we move to achieve mobility, to communicate, to connect with others, and to express deeply held emotions. When movement becomes consciously structured and is performed with awareness for its own sake, it becomes dance. Dance is practiced for a variety of purposes, including as part of ceremonies, rituals, and rites of passage; to communicate, tell stories, and pass down information; to celebrate or mark special occasions; to connect with one another or foster community; and to express individual or collective emotions, moods, or feelings.

Dance can be a form of physical exercise, an important aspect of cultural heritage, a social activity, a therapeutic practice, and a form of artistic expression. There are a vast number of dance genres, styles, and traditions practiced by people throughout the world. Each dance practice is a reflection of the time and culture in which it was created, a unique expression of the people who practice it.

Dance and Diversity

Though our organization is focused on dance as an art form, we acknowledge the role that dance plays throughout the human experience. We recognize the wide range of dance practices that have existed throughout history, and the peoples and cultures from which they originated. We value the contributions of dancers, choreographers, and dance teachers from all backgrounds, working in all dance genres and styles. We honor the interconnectedness of the field of dance, knowing that we benefit from its rich diversity. Furthermore, we acknowledge that many of the dance genres and styles taught and practiced today are rooted in the history and current artistry of historically oppressed peoples, but that connection is often overlooked or outright erased in education, choreography, and performance. We recognize the vast contribution of dancers, educators, and choreographers from marginalized groups, yet we know that they are often overlooked, neglected, and outright rejected in academic and creative spaces. Together with NDEO's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee, we will continue to seek ways to fight for justice within the dance community. We know that there is still much to do within our organization and within dance education. We will continue to seek new ways to ensure that marginalized perspectives are recognized within our membership and throughout the dance education field.

We know that dance has the power to create change in our communities and the world,  and we seek to be part of that change.  

About Dance as an Art Form

In dance as an art form, movement is used to communicate meaning about the human experience. The art of dance is a powerful medium to express one's values, thoughts, and aspirations. It can be an important tool for introspection and reflection about the world in which we live. As part of our mission to advance dance education centered in the arts, we support dance educators, artists, and students as they find and express meaning through movement in all dance genres and styles.

About Dance as Art in Education

In the United States, dance education is offered in a broad range of dance genres and styles, to students of all backgrounds, ages, skill levels, and abilities. Dance education is delivered in a number of settings, including:

• In public, private, and charter K-12 schools , built into the curriculum either as a required class or arts elective;
• In public, private, and charter schools , integrated into instruction in other subjects such as math, language arts, and social studies;
• In preschools and early childhood centers;
• In colleges and universities , often as part of a dance major or minor;
• I n privately-owned dance studios, academies, and conservatories;
• In community centers, outreach programs, and after-school programs;
• As part of the educational arms of performing arts centers;
• In therapeutic situations such as in programs for senior citizens and populations with special needs.

Some of the most-taught dance styles in the U.S. include Hip Hop, Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Creative Movement, and American and Latin Ballroom Styles. Dance education is also increasingly available in movement practices originating in cultures across the globe, including dances of the African diaspora, Indian Classical dance styles, dance forms from Ireland and Scotland, and Chinese classical and folk dances.

The 4 Artistic Processes

Education in the art of dance involves four artistic processes, designed to help students achieve dance literacy. Dance literacy, as defined by the NDEO, involves discovering the expressive elements of dance; knowing the terminology that is used to comprehend dance; having a clear sense of embodying dance; and being able to reflect, critique, and connect personal experience to dance.

1) Creating

Conceiving and developing new choreographic ideas and work.

2) Performing

Realizing choreographic ideas and work through interpretation and presentation.

3) Responding

Understanding and evaluating how dance conveys meaning.

4) Connecting

Relating choreographic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

Through these processes, dance students in any genre or style develop the skills required to create, perform, understand, and derive meaning from movement as a means of artistic communication. NDEO believes that a comprehensive education in the art of dance, regardless of the genre or style being studied, includes the unique technique required for that genre or style, improvisation, choreography, performance, observation, and analysis. Exposure to the roots and history of dance as a cultural practice and art form, kinesiology and anatomy, and movement theories further enriches the dance education experience.

Comparision of Cognitive Proccesses

Adapted from the book 'Dance About Anything' by Marty Sprague, Helene Scheff, & Susan McGreevy-Nichols

Why Is Dance Education Important?

Research and anecdotal evidence indicate that dance education contributes to students' physical, emotional, and social well-being by providing a method of physical awareness and fitness, an outlet for creativity and personal expression, and a means to develop social-emotional skills, such as self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Students who study dance develop 21st century skills such as collaboration, communication, and creativity, and dance has been shown to positively affect students' attitudes, perceptions, and values. Dance provides children multiple perspectives. Through dance, children develop enhanced sensory awareness, cognition, and consciousness. It is this heightened state that creates the magic of movement that is dance.

Benefits of Dance Education

Physical Development:  Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness. Dance offers all students, but especially children, an avenue to expand movement possibilities and skills.

Emotional Wellbeing: Dance promotes emotional health and maturity. Children enjoy the opportunity to express their emotions and become aware of themselves and others through dance. Students learn valuable life skills through dance, such as responsibility, persistence, communication skills, grit, and accountability. Dance offers a structured outlet for emotional release, while gaining awareness and appreciation of oneself and others.

Social Awareness:   Dance fosters social encounters, interaction, and cooperation. Children learn to communicate ideas to others through the real and immediate mode of body movement. When they dance together, students learn to understand themselves in relation to others. They develop empathy by connecting kinesthetically, learn to cooperate by solving movement problems together, and come to respect themselves and others by participating in the creative process together.

Cognitive Development:  Dance promotes cognitive growth in a number of ways. Research from the field of neuroscience asserts that movement can teach students how to function in and understand the world. Through dance, students learn to:

• Embody movement concepts in a way that works for their own physicality and development.
• Apply new skills and concepts through movement. Interpret meaning in and respond to choreography.
• Solve movement problems.
• Create choreography in response to a prompt.

Dance Education Teaching and Learning Environments

At NDEO, we believe in the importance and value of all dance education teaching and learning environments. We recognize 4 primary teaching and learning environments, which we call sectors. We use these to denote our different types of Institutional Memberships.

• K-12 : Consisting of public, private, and charter PreK-12 Schools
• Dance Studios : Consisting of dance studios, conservatories, and academies that are privately owned and operated as a small business
• Performing Arts Organizations : Consisting of professional dance companies and presenting venues that also offer dance education programs, as well as community centers, and similar institutions
• Higher Education:  Consisting of colleges, universities, and post-secondary training programs

We believe in honoring the synergy among these environments, recognizing that each plays a vital role in sustaining the field and affording access to dance education for all people.

While the individual needs and goals of each sector and each kind of institution within the sector may differ, we all desire to create a thriving field in which all dance students are encouraged and supported, and dance is respected as a vital part of society. We believe that dance and dance education are best served by a cooperative, supportive relationship among all sectors of the field, and do our best as an organization to foster this synergy.

Author: Beal, Rayma K

Publication Year: 1992

Media Type: Report

The author discusses issues in dance education. Included topics are suggested standards for K-12 dance education and beyond. Other issues include assessment, educational reform and research.

During the past three years, policy decisions related to national issues, trends in education, and standards initiated by the federal government have affected the future of dance education from prekindergarten through twelfth grade and thus have affected the future of the National Dance Association (NDA). NDA, the largest dance association in the world, celebrated its sixtieth anniversary in the spring of 1992. Its members include four thousand educators, artists, researchers, and administrators at all educational levels from the fifty states and several foreign countries. As an Association within the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, NDA has a dance education division with substructures that focus on education from preschool to graduate levels.

CONTENTS National Standards. Assessment. Educational Reform. Research.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Arts Education

ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Series Title:

PUBLISHER INFORMATION

Website URL:

• Research Areas

Critical Issues in Dance

Exploring the power of dance through writing and arguing for points of view.

This course is focused on issues that relate to the dance world and how to write about them and argue points of view. It also includes a section on dance criticism, which covers the operations of the dance critic, as well as purpose of various kinds of dance writing. Becoming a better writer is also a focus in this upper-division writing course, so there are several assignments that range from reviews and reports of dance events to response papers for the readings, and critical essays.

The course's title, "Critical Issues in Dance," also points to the many ways of discussing the relevance and primacy of dance as it relates to, for instance, issues that surround sexuality, human rights, censorship, ethnicities, hierarchies, and gender. Should dancers join unions and strike for their rights? How much is weight an issue in the world of dance training and professional companies? Does it matter where you dance, in terms of a country's regime or other political concerns? Are art forms cheapened by having commercial sponsors? Why do only women wear pointe shoes? Should dancers who become parents get maternity leave? Why are there not more female choreographers and artistic directors? Why are men stigmatized in the dance world? Is dance understood and valued in university and the wider world?

Students present to the class and write essays about dance-related things that come up in both the popular and scholarly press. Through reading, viewing, and discussion, you should begin to find a voice in an art form where the body speaks more often than not. It prepares you to do dance criticism or talk back to critics, make an argument for the importance of dance as a major study, analyze MTV, or write a letter to the editor, your senator, or your parents about how dance connects crucially with the rest of the world.

Pictured: Donald McKayle, Dance Visions 2017. Photo by Rose Eichembaum.

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Effective dance teaching methods

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In This Article

Use effective and safe teaching methods.

• the type of class (community, social, school, studio, professional etc)
• participants' age, stage and needs
• the dance style/genre
• class size and venue.

Lesson planning

• the aim of class or teaching program
• pre-testing for prior knowledge/understanding
• skill levels and age
• logical, suitable and safe progression beginning with warm-up and stretching
• students’ emotional, physical and intellectual development and/or limitations
• a graduated workload, i.e. frequency, intensity, duration and type of dance.

Create a positive learning/teaching environment

Make sure that the:

• teaching is supportive, encouraging and non-threatening
• goals are clearly stated
• students respect the rights of others to be taught and to learn
• students are given equal opportunities to learn and develop their dance skills
• teachers encourage students to accept reasonable challenges and to take risks with teacher support
• students support each other in challenging or risk-taking activity
• cultural, gender and age differences and different physical and learning abilities are reflected in fair and inclusive teaching/learning practices.

Demonstrate positive communication skills

• Discuss your goals and expectations of a class, program or course.
• Give clear instructions, explanations and demonstrations in verbal, non-verbal, audiovisual and written forms.
• Create a safe, friendly and positive atmosphere.
• Adapt your language to suit the age and experience of students
• Give regular verbal feedback that respects students and helps them develop as independent learners.
• Help students to reflect, evaluate and share knowledge.

Be a positive role model

• Show your love for dance with energy and enthusiasm.
• Set clear goals and expectations.
• Use language that shows respect for students and staff.
• Teach safe dance principles; non-judgmental attitudes; positive body image; punctuality, planning and preparation.

Pedagogy—develop and use dance teaching practices

• Respect students’ personal space.
• Encourage a healthy awareness and understanding of the physical nature of dance.
• Use verbal explanations and show correct stance/movement.
• Before any physical contact, tell the student why and how contact is needed.
• Show different approaches to a task, movement or problem solving exercise.
• Allow exploratory learning by encouraging students to talk about ideas and processes.
• Use positive approaches that give students information, confidence, encouragement and a willingness and desire to practice and improve their dance skills.
• Be sensitive to social, economic and cultural contexts, expectations, language and themes.
• Recognise and be sensitive to the external lives/pressures that students (particularly adolescents) are experiencing.
• Monitor issues that relate to dance training and talk with a student about concerning symptoms.
• If needed, discuss issues with colleagues, parents and carers, while being sensitive to a student’s right to privacy.
• Be aware and adhere to teacher responsibility to Mandatory Reporting regulations (check your state legislation).
• Refer students and parents/carers to other dance and health professionals with sensitivity.
• Use terminology and explanations which are understood by students.
• Include assessment as an informal or formal gauge of progress.
• Place dance as an art form in its historical, social and cultural contexts according to the style taught, and the training level.
• Help students learn to relate dance practice and theory.
• Give students learning opportunities which develop and recognise different learning styles.
• Use various teaching resources and modes of learning.

Self-development and career development

• Invite and welcome honest feedback from parents, students and colleagues.
• Make time to talk with students, course leaders, school or institution leaders and parents or carers about issues affecting individual students, classes or groups.
• Find opportunities for learning and development.
• Find opportunities for learning and certification as a dance educator.
• Learn about lifelong learning practices .

Professional development

Maintain knowledge and expertise in your chosen genre and style of dance; develop a broad knowledge of dance; enrich your qualifications.

• Attend performances and read dance-related material.
• Develop your awareness and knowledge of different stage crafts.
• Enroll in teaching, stage craft, health, fitness and business management courses.
• Encourage employed staff to do professional development.
• Make sure your professional knowledge is current and qualifications are upgraded through a teaching or syllabus organisation.
• Attend professional development workshops or short courses.
• Maintain or subscribe to a professional journal or library.

Encourage self-expression and creativity

• Include regular times for students to use imagination, expressive skills and creativity.
• Teach students the elements of composition using the relevant style or genre.
• Use different creative stimuli and models of self expression.
• Use a developmental approach (creative scaffolding) to build creative skills along with technique development.
• Include time to develop performance skills.
• Give students access to other teachers or artists (workshops, summer schools and special events) to stimulate creativity through new ways of thinking about dance.
• Recognise the subjective nature of creativity.
• Help students develop independence, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Recognise individual learning styles and offer choices so each student has practice with problem solving and decision-making.
• Make sure that programs/curriculum let students choose class tasks, projects or electives that allow creative growth.
• Use technical training as a tool for expressive development and creative growth.
• Give students tools to assess their expressive and creative development.
• Give students opportunities and support their interest in dance experiences beyond their educational setting
• Encourage use, review and criticism of dance-related material
• Facilitate or encourage attendance at rehearsals, performances, exhibitions and performances in dance and other art forms
• Support students to audition for events or performances or take part in activities/workshops where they can work with other teachers, choreographers or directors to enhance their
• Understanding of creative processes, performance and professional expectations.

Use assessment and reporting procedures

Note: There are teaching situations such as community and recreational dance instruction which do not require or expect formal assessment and reporting.

Assess the work of students against criteria

• Give students regular verbal or written feedback that includes praise and identifies areas for improvement.
• Let students discuss and receive feedback about work in development (technique, creative work and theory).
• Give progress reports to parents and students.
• Before assessment, make sure students understand the assessment measures.
• Use external standards or assessors to moderate your assessment process.
• Deal privately with sensitive assessment and achievement issues.

Give parents and students an accurate assessment of dance potential

• Give regular verbal and written descriptive assessment (which includes marks or grades), and some independent assessment.
• Give honest opinions about a dancer’s potential or readiness to pass an exam or succeed in an audition.
• Use criterion-based assessment which can be complemented by subjective opinions, references and statements.

Provide vocational support for training and careers

• Encourage students to complete their school education and to develop interests both within and outside dance.
• Give students resources, structures, educational counselling that helps them complete Year 12 and receive university admission ranking.
• Encourage students to gain experience in dance and theatre related work.
• Give students access to professional career counselling.
• Give students work, career and transition planning tools.

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What’s it like to be a teacher in america today, public k-12 teachers are stressed about their jobs and few are optimistic about the future of education; many say poverty, absenteeism and mental health are major problems at their school.

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand the views and experiences of public K-12 school teachers. The analysis in this report is based on an online survey of 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers conducted from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public K-12 school teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population.

Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

Low-poverty , medium-poverty and high-poverty schools are based on the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (less than 40%, 40%-59% and 60% or more, respectively).

Secondary schools include both middle schools and high schools.

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

Public K-12 schools in the United States face a host of challenges these days – from teacher shortages to the lingering effects of COVID-19 learning loss to political battles over curriculum .

In the midst of all this, teachers express low levels of satisfaction with their jobs. In fact, they’re much less satisfied than U.S. workers overall.

Here’s how public K-12 teachers are feeling about their jobs:

• 77% say their job is frequently stressful.
• 68% say it’s overwhelming.
• 70% say their school is understaffed.
• 52% say they would not advise a young person starting out today to become a teacher.

When it comes to how their students are doing in school, teachers are relatively downbeat about both academic performance and behavior.

Here’s how public K-12 teachers rate academic performance and behavior at their school:

• 48% say the academic performance of most students at their school is fair or poor. A third say it’s good, and only 17% describe it as excellent or very good.
• 49% say the behavior of most students at their school is fair or poor; 35% say it’s good and 13% say it’s excellent or very good.

The COVID-19 pandemic likely compounded these issues. About eight-in-ten teachers (among those who have been teaching for at least a year) say the lasting impact of the pandemic on students’ behavior, academic performance and emotional well-being has been very or somewhat negative.

Assessments of student performance and behavior differ widely by school poverty level. 1 Teachers in high-poverty schools have a much more negative outlook. But feelings of stress and dissatisfaction among teachers are fairly universal, regardless of where they teach.

Related: What Public K-12 Teachers Want Americans To Know About Teaching

As they navigate these challenges, teachers don’t feel they’re getting the support or reinforcement they need from parents.

Majorities of teachers say parents are doing too little when it comes to holding their children accountable if they misbehave in school, helping them with their schoolwork and ensuring their attendance.

Teachers in high- and medium-poverty schools are more likely than those in low-poverty schools to say parents are doing too little in each of these areas.

These findings are based on a survey of 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers conducted Oct. 17-Nov. 14, 2023, using the RAND American Teacher Panel. 2 The survey looks at the following aspects of teachers’ experiences:

• Teachers’ job satisfaction (Chapter 1)
• How teachers manage their workload (Chapter 2)
• Problems students are facing at public K-12 schools (Chapter 3)
• Challenges in the classroom (Chapter 4)
• Teachers’ views of parent involvement (Chapter 5)
• Teachers’ views on the state of public K-12 education (Chapter 6)

Problems students are facing

We asked teachers about some of the challenges students at their school are facing. Three problems topped the list:

• Poverty (53% say this is a major problem among students who attend their school)
• Chronic absenteeism (49%)
• Anxiety and depression (48%)

Chronic absenteeism (that is, students missing a substantial number of school days) is a particular challenge at high schools, with 61% of high school teachers saying this is a major problem where they teach. By comparison, 46% of middle school teachers and 43% of elementary school teachers say the same.

Anxiety and depression are viewed as a more serious problem at the secondary school level: 69% of high school teachers and 57% of middle school teachers say this is a major problem among their students, compared with 29% of elementary school teachers.

Fewer teachers (20%) view bullying as a major problem at their school, though the share is significantly higher among middle school teachers (34%).

A look inside the classroom

We also asked teachers how things are going in their classroom and specifically about some of the issues that may get in the way of teaching.

• 47% of teachers say students showing little or no interest in learning is a major problem in their classroom. The share rises to 58% among high school teachers.
• 33% say students being distracted by their cellphones is a major problem. This is particularly an issue for high school teachers, with 72% saying this is a major problem.
• About one-in-five teachers say students getting up and walking around when they’re not supposed to and being disrespectful toward them (21% each) are major problems. Teachers in elementary and middle schools are more likely than those in high schools to see these as challenges.

A majority of teachers (68%) say they’ve experienced verbal abuse from a student – such as being yelled at or threatened. Some 21% say this happens at least a few times a month.

Physical violence is less common. Even so, 40% of teachers say a student has been violent toward them , with 9% saying this happens at least a few times a month.

About two-thirds of teachers (66%) say that the current discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat mild. Only 2% say the discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat harsh, while 31% say they are neither harsh nor mild. Most teachers (67%) say teachers themselves don’t have enough influence in determining discipline practices at their school.

Behavioral issues and mental health challenges

In addition to their teaching duties, a majority of teachers (58%) say they have to address behavioral issues in their classroom every day. About three-in-ten teachers (28%) say they have to help students with mental health challenges daily.

In each of these areas, elementary and middle school teachers are more likely than those at the high school level to say they do these things on a daily basis.

And teachers in high-poverty schools are more likely than those in medium- and low-poverty schools to say they deal with these issues each day.

Cellphone policies and enforcement

Most teachers (82%) say their school or district has policies regarding cellphone use in the classroom.

Of those, 56% say these policies are at least somewhat easy to enforce, 30% say they’re difficult to enforce, and 14% say they’re neither easy nor difficult to enforce.

Experiences with cellphone policies vary widely across school levels. High school teachers (60%) are much more likely than middle school (30%) and elementary school teachers (12%) to say the policies are difficult to enforce (among those who say their school or district has a cellphone policy).

How teachers are experiencing their jobs

Thinking about the various aspects of their jobs, teachers are most satisfied with their relationship with other teachers at their school (71% are extremely or very satisfied).

They’re least satisfied with how much they’re paid – only 15% are extremely or very satisfied with their pay, while 51% are not too or not at all satisfied.

Among teachers who don’t plan to retire or stop working this year, 29% say it’s at least somewhat likely they will look for a new job in the 2023-24 school year. Within that group, 40% say they would look for a job outside of education, 29% say they’d seek a non-teaching job in education, and only 18% say they’d look for a teaching job at another public K-12 school.

Do teachers find their work fulfilling and enjoyable?

Overall, 56% of teachers say they find their job to be fulfilling extremely often or often; 53% say their job is enjoyable. These are significantly lower than the shares who say their job is frequently stressful (77%) or overwhelming (68%).

Positive experiences are more common among newer teachers. Two-thirds of those who’ve been teaching less than six years say their work is fulfilling extremely often or often, and 62% of this group says their work is frequently enjoyable.

Teachers with longer tenures are somewhat less likely to feel this way. For example, 48% of those who’ve been teaching for six to 10 years say their work is frequently enjoyable.

Balancing the workload

Most teachers (84%) say there’s not enough time during their regular work hours to do tasks like grading, lesson planning, paperwork and answering work emails.

Among those who feel this way, 81% say simply having too much work is a major reason.

Many also point to having to spend time helping students outside the classroom, performing non-teaching duties like lunch duty, and covering other teachers’ classrooms as at least minor reasons they don’t have enough time to get all their work done.

A majority of teachers (54%) say it’s very or somewhat difficult for them to balance work and their personal life. About one-in-four (26%) say it’s very or somewhat easy for them to balance these things, and 20% say it’s neither easy nor difficult.

Among teachers, women are more likely than men to say work-life balance is difficult for them (57% vs. 43%). Women teachers are also more likely to say they often find their job stressful or overwhelming.

How teachers view the education system

A large majority of teachers (82%) say the overall state of public K-12 education has gotten worse in the past five years.

And very few are optimistic about the next five years: Only 20% of teachers say public K-12 education will be a lot or somewhat better five years from now. A narrow majority (53%) say it will be worse.

Among teachers who think things have gotten worse in recent years, majorities say the current political climate (60%) and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (57%) are major reasons. A sizable share (46%) also point to changes in the availability of funding and resources.

Related:  About half of Americans say public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction

Which political party do teachers trust more to deal with educational challenges?

On balance, more teachers say they trust the Democratic Party than say they trust the Republican Party to do a better job handling key issues facing the K-12 education system. But three-in-ten or more across the following issues say they don’t trust either party:

• Shaping school curriculum (42% say they trust neither party)
• Ensuring teachers have adequate pay and benefits (35%)
• Making schools safer (35%)
• Ensuring adequate funding for schools (33%)
• Ensuring all students have equal access to high-quality K-12 education (31%)

A majority of public K-12 teachers (58%) identify or lean toward the Democratic Party. This is higher than the share among the general public (47%).

• Poverty levels are based on the percentage of students in the school who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. ↩
• For details, refer to the Methodology section of the report. ↩
• Urban, suburban and rural schools are based on the location of the school as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (rural includes town). Definitions match those used by the U.S. Census Bureau. ↩

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Table of contents, ‘back to school’ means anytime from late july to after labor day, depending on where in the u.s. you live, among many u.s. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows, most european students learn english in school, for u.s. teens today, summer means more schooling and less leisure time than in the past, about one-in-six u.s. teachers work second jobs – and not just in the summer, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Risner, D. (2007). Critical Social Issues in Dance Education Research. In: Bresler, L. (eds) International Handbook of Research in Arts Education. Springer International Handbook of Research in Arts Education, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3052-9_66

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​Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere

The pandemic changed families’ lives and the culture of education: “Our relationship with school became optional.”

By Sarah Mervosh and Francesca Paris

Sarah Mervosh reports on K-12 education, and Francesca Paris is a data reporter.

In Anchorage, affluent families set off on ski trips and other lengthy vacations, with the assumption that their children can keep up with schoolwork online.

In a working-class pocket of Michigan, school administrators have tried almost everything, including pajama day, to boost student attendance.

And across the country, students with heightened anxiety are opting to stay home rather than face the classroom.

In the four years since the pandemic closed schools, U.S. education has struggled to recover on a number of fronts, from learning loss , to enrollment , to student behavior .

But perhaps no issue has been as stubborn and pervasive as a sharp increase in student absenteeism, a problem that cuts across demographics and has continued long after schools reopened.

Nationally, an estimated 26 percent of public school students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic, according to the most recent data, from 40 states and Washington, D.C., compiled by the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute . Chronic absence is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days, for any reason.

Source: Upshot analysis of data from Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute. Districts are grouped into highest, middle and lowest third.

The increases have occurred in districts big and small, and across income and race. For districts in wealthier areas, chronic absenteeism rates have about doubled, to 19 percent in the 2022-23 school year from 10 percent before the pandemic, a New York Times analysis of the data found.

Poor communities, which started with elevated rates of student absenteeism, are facing an even bigger crisis: Around 32 percent of students in the poorest districts were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year, up from 19 percent before the pandemic.

Even districts that reopened quickly during the pandemic, in fall 2020, have seen vast increases.

“The problem got worse for everybody in the same proportional way,” said Nat Malkus, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who collected and studied the data.

Victoria, Texas reopened schools in August 2020, earlier than many other districts. Even so, student absenteeism in the district has doubled.

Kaylee Greenlee for The New York Times

The trends suggest that something fundamental has shifted in American childhood and the culture of school, in ways that may be long lasting. What was once a deeply ingrained habit — wake up, catch the bus, report to class — is now something far more tenuous.

“Our relationship with school became optional,” said Katie Rosanbalm, a psychologist and associate research professor with the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.

The habit of daily attendance — and many families’ trust — was severed when schools shuttered in spring 2020. Even after schools reopened, things hardly snapped back to normal. Districts offered remote options, required Covid-19 quarantines and relaxed policies around attendance and grading .

Source: Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute . Includes districts with at least 1,500 students in 2019. Numbers are rounded. U.S. average is estimated.

Today, student absenteeism is a leading factor hindering the nation’s recovery from pandemic learning losses , educational experts say. Students can’t learn if they aren’t in school. And a rotating cast of absent classmates can negatively affect the achievement of even students who do show up, because teachers must slow down and adjust their approach to keep everyone on track.

“If we don’t address the absenteeism, then all is naught,” said Adam Clark, the superintendent of Mt. Diablo Unified, a socioeconomically and racially diverse district of 29,000 students in Northern California, where he said absenteeism has “exploded” to about 25 percent of students. That’s up from 12 percent before the pandemic.

U.S. students, overall, are not caught up from their pandemic losses. Absenteeism is one key reason.

Why Students Are Missing School

Schools everywhere are scrambling to improve attendance, but the new calculus among families is complex and multifaceted.

At South Anchorage High School in Anchorage, where students are largely white and middle-to-upper income, some families now go on ski trips during the school year, or take advantage of off-peak travel deals to vacation for two weeks in Hawaii, said Sara Miller, a counselor at the school.

For a smaller number of students at the school who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, the reasons are different, and more intractable. They often have to stay home to care for younger siblings, Ms. Miller said. On days they miss the bus, their parents are busy working or do not have a car to take them to school.

And because teachers are still expected to post class work online, often nothing more than a skeleton version of an assignment, families incorrectly think students are keeping up, Ms. Miller said.

Sara Miller, a counselor at South Anchorage High School for 20 years, now sees more absences from students across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Ash Adams for The New York Times

Across the country, students are staying home when sick , not only with Covid-19, but also with more routine colds and viruses.

And more students are struggling with their mental health, one reason for increased absenteeism in Mason, Ohio, an affluent suburb of Cincinnati, said Tracey Carson, a district spokeswoman. Because many parents can work remotely, their children can also stay home.

For Ashley Cooper, 31, of San Marcos, Texas, the pandemic fractured her trust in an education system that she said left her daughter to learn online, with little support, and then expected her to perform on grade level upon her return. Her daughter, who fell behind in math, has struggled with anxiety ever since, she said.

“There have been days where she’s been absolutely in tears — ‘Can’t do it. Mom, I don’t want to go,’” said Ms. Cooper, who has worked with the nonprofit Communities in Schools to improve her children’s school attendance. But she added, “as a mom, I feel like it’s OK to have a mental health day, to say, ‘I hear you and I listen. You are important.’”

Experts say missing school is both a symptom of pandemic-related challenges, and also a cause. Students who are behind academically may not want to attend, but being absent sets them further back. Anxious students may avoid school, but hiding out can fuel their anxiety.

And schools have also seen a rise in discipline problems since the pandemic, an issue intertwined with absenteeism.

Dr. Rosanbalm, the Duke psychologist, said both absenteeism and behavioral outbursts are examples of the human stress response, now playing out en masse in schools: fight (verbal or physical aggression) or flight (absenteeism).

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” said Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas.

Quintin Shepherd, the superintendent in Victoria, Texas, first put his focus on student behavior, which he described as a “fire in the kitchen” after schools reopened in August 2020.

The district, which serves a mostly low-income and Hispanic student body of around 13,000, found success with a one-on-one coaching program that teaches coping strategies to the most disruptive students. In some cases, students went from having 20 classroom outbursts per year to fewer than five, Dr. Shepherd said.

But chronic absenteeism is yet to be conquered. About 30 percent of students are chronically absent this year, roughly double the rate before the pandemic.

Dr. Shepherd, who originally hoped student absenteeism would improve naturally with time, has begun to think that it is, in fact, at the root of many issues.

“If kids are not here, they are not forming relationships,” he said. “If they are not forming relationships, we should expect there will be behavior and discipline issues. If they are not here, they will not be academically learning and they will struggle. If they struggle with their coursework, you can expect violent behaviors.”

Teacher absences have also increased since the pandemic, and student absences mean less certainty about which friends and classmates will be there. That can lead to more absenteeism, said Michael A. Gottfried, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. His research has found that when 10 percent of a student’s classmates are absent on a given day, that student is more likely to be absent the following day.

Absent classmates can have a negative impact on the achievement and attendance of even the students who do show up.

Is This the New Normal?

In many ways, the challenge facing schools is one felt more broadly in American society: Have the cultural shifts from the pandemic become permanent?

In the work force, U.S. employees are still working from home at a rate that has remained largely unchanged since late 2022 . Companies have managed to “put the genie back in the bottle” to some extent by requiring a return to office a few days a week, said Nicholas Bloom, an economist at Stanford University who studies remote work. But hybrid office culture, he said, appears here to stay.

Some wonder whether it is time for schools to be more pragmatic.

Lakisha Young, the chief executive of the Oakland REACH, a parent advocacy group that works with low-income families in California, suggested a rigorous online option that students could use in emergencies, such as when a student misses the bus or has to care for a family member. “The goal should be, how do I ensure this kid is educated?” she said.

Relationships with adults at school and other classmates are crucial for attendance.

In the corporate world, companies have found some success appealing to a sense of social responsibility, where colleagues rely on each other to show up on the agreed-upon days.

A similar dynamic may be at play in schools, where experts say strong relationships are critical for attendance.

There is a sense of: “If I don’t show up, would people even miss the fact that I’m not there?” said Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, the commissioner of education in Connecticut.

In her state, a home visit program has yielded positive results , in part by working with families to address the specific reasons a student is missing school, but also by establishing a relationship with a caring adult. Other efforts — such as sending text messages or postcards to parents informing them of the number of accumulated absences — can also be effective.

Regina Murff has worked to re-establish the daily habit of school attendance for her sons, who are 6 and 12.

Sylvia Jarrus for The New York Times

In Ypsilanti, Mich., outside of Ann Arbor, a home visit helped Regina Murff, 44, feel less alone when she was struggling to get her children to school each morning.

After working at a nursing home during the pandemic, and later losing her sister to Covid-19, she said, there were days she found it difficult to get out of bed. Ms. Murff was also more willing to keep her children home when they were sick, for fear of accidentally spreading the virus.

But after a visit from her school district, and starting therapy herself, she has settled into a new routine. She helps her sons, 6 and 12, set out their outfits at night and she wakes up at 6 a.m. to ensure they get on the bus. If they are sick, she said, she knows to call the absence into school. “I’ve done a huge turnaround in my life,” she said.

But bringing about meaningful change for large numbers of students remains slow, difficult work .

Nationally, about 26 percent of students were considered chronically absent last school year, up from 15 percent before the pandemic.

The Ypsilanti school district has tried a bit of everything, said the superintendent, Alena Zachery-Ross. In addition to door knocks, officials are looking for ways to make school more appealing for the district’s 3,800 students, including more than 80 percent who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They held themed dress-up days — ’70s day, pajama day — and gave away warm clothes after noticing a dip in attendance during winter months.

“We wondered, is it because you don’t have a coat, you don’t have boots?” said Dr. Zachery-Ross.

Still, absenteeism overall remains higher than it was before the pandemic. “We haven’t seen an answer,” she said.

Data provided by Nat Malkus, with the American Enterprise Institute. The data was originally published on the Return to Learn tracker and used for the report “ Long COVID for Public Schools: Chronic Absenteeism Before and After the Pandemic .”

The analysis for each year includes all districts with available data for that year, weighted by district size. Data are sourced from states, where available, and the U.S. Department of Education and NCES Common Core of Data.

For the 2018-19 school year, data was available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For 2022-23, it was available for 40 states and D.C., due to delays in state reporting.

Closure length status is based on the most in-person learning option available. Poverty is measured using the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. School size and minority population estimates are from NCES CCD.

How absenteeism is measured can vary state by state, which means comparisons across state lines may not be reliable.

An earlier version of this article misnamed a research center at Duke University. It is the Center for Child and Family Policy, not the Center of Child and Family Policy.

Rhode Island child care, early learning programs to receive $58 million in federal funds

by NBC 10 NEWS

Multiple child care organizations and Sen. Reed held a celebratory event at Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center in Providence Thursday afternoon. (WJAR)

(WJAR) — U.S. Sen. Jack Reed joined Rhode Island child care organizations on Thursday to celebrate $58.4 million in federal funding for local child care and early learning programs.

According to the senator’s office, the rise in funding is partly due to a new appropriations signed last week. This helped increase $1 billion in funding for early learning programs and critical child care nationwide.

The new funds for Rhode Island include $19.5 million for Child Care Development Block Grant and $38.9 Head Start, an early learning and education program for infants through the age of 5.

Reed’s office said the new increase in federal funding will help more working families to afford high-quality child care and ensure that child care providers and educators can raise wages to retain and attract workers.

"We must ensure families can access quality, affordable, and reliable child care that best meets their needs. This federal funding will increase access to high-quality child care while lowering the cost burden on families and offering them peace of mind that their children are well cared for while they are at work,” said Reed. "When kids have access to a healthy, enriching learning environment, it sets them up for a strong start in life and frees parents up to pursue economic opportunities."

• ALSO READ: Newport closes southern section of Cliff Walk for repairs

Multiple child care organizations and Sen. Reed held a celebratory event at Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center in Providence Thursday afternoon.

Some organizations that attended the celebratory event include Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, the Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association and the Beautiful Beginnings Child Care Center.

Economic growth, education, public safety key at State of the County

Why it matters: Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick discussed the important changes and growth in Southeast Texas.

Jefferson County is expanding, but there are still some areas that need to grow with it — that was the key takeaway from Judge Jeff Branick on the current state of his county.

On Thursday, Common Cents Credit Union and the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce hosted a State of the County address, where Chamber Board Vice Chairman Craig Escamilla spoke with Branick about issues most important to Jefferson County.

“We recognize sometimes how fortunate we are,” Branick said. “The infrastructure expansion that we have going on in Jefferson County is the envy, I think, of the rest of Texas.” 

While Escamilla’s questions varied, Branick focused on three key issues in Jefferson County.

1. Economic growth

Branick said the county is seeing economic growth in many ways, from a bigger budget to new projects coming to the area.

This year, Jefferson County’s Budget is $171 million — an annual growth rate of about 2.32%, according to an analysis conducted during budget hearings next year. 

RELATED: Beaumont State of the City 'unveils' downtown plan

He also reminded attendees of the several industrial plants and projects that have been and are in the process of being constructed in Jefferson County, such as  ExxonMobil’s Blade expansion and Port Arthur LNG .

But he made sure not to take credit for that growth.

“There’s a lot of people that laid these out like I’m the one who’s responsible for having ushered this in and it has something to do with the Shale Revolution in Texas and not necessarily with me,” Branick said. “I’m just fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve as county judge at the times we’re experiencing this revolution. From a job creation standpoint, I can’t think of a county in the state of Texas that is positioned more positively (than us).”

2. Education

With all the new projects coming to the area, Branick said Jefferson County is fortunate to have good education.

“We’ve had these wonderful educational institutions that are going to assist us in making sure that we have trained and readily available workforce to meet the challenges that are coming up,” he said.

Those institutions are particularly important because Baby Boomers are retiring, and the next generation work force needs to be ready to take up those jobs, Branick said.

RELATED: What the State Rep. District 21 race means to Southeast Texans

Specifically, he underscored the value of the collaboration between the Lamar colleges and university with local high schools to educate students as well as expand program offerings.

3. Public safety

While the economic and educational opportunities in Jefferson County are growing, Branick mentioned the current struggles within public safety.

Like several other counties in the U.S., Jefferson County is struggling as fewer and fewer people are going into law enforcement and corrections, according to Branick. He attributes this to several things, including higher pay at construction and industry jobs, which government can’t compete with.

“We’re spending a significant amount of money, millions of dollars, on overtime at the jail,” Branick said. “We have a different type of workforce today… they don’t look at the fact that the county has a great retirement program, great insurance. They just want to get the highest amount of money they get and they’re more interested in finding a work life balance, whatever that is.

Overall, Branick said he is proud of the county and its progress.

“I’m exceedingly proud to have the honor of serving as county judge,” Branick said. “This is such a hard working areas that people are outstanding, generous, philanthropical and has made my job so much easier, (just the) personality of Southeast Texas and I appreciate that.”

'We want to inspire them': 3 future Rutherford schools get names honoring people & places

Future campuses will add to count of 50 current schools.

Rutherford County Board of Education members approved names, colors and mascots Thursday for three future schools.

The three future campuses will join a fast-growing district with 50 schools this year serving nearly 52,000 children and depending on 179 portable classrooms.

District officials expect one of the future schools to relieve overcrowding at westside elementary schools and improve the behavior of students at two of the schools.

"We want to inspire them," board Vice Chairwoman Claire Maxwell said.

School rezoning impacts families: 'This is not just about changing schools'

Future westside elementary honors name of hill

The name for the district's next westside campus will be Poplar Hill Elementary School on former historic family farmland of John L. Batey on the north side of Baker Road near Blackman Road. The $59.9 million school project will open by August 2025.

The mascot will be Coyote and school colors of hunter green and white with a metallic gold accent.

The proposed "Poplar Hill" name does have history, said Batey, who grew up on the farm and retains about 347 acres.

"That's what it used to be called because it was a hill and had two big poplar trees on it," said Batey, whose family farm dates back to 1807.

The westside school in the Blackman community is expected to relieve overcrowding at Blackman Elementary, which depends on 14 portable classrooms, and Stewarts Elementary, which has 15 portable classrooms.

The future school also should help prevent overcrowding at Brown's Chapel Elementary, board Chairwoman Shelia Bratton suggested.

District officials have plans to build a middle school by August 2026 next to the westside elementary school. The school board bought 61.4 acres from Batey for about $5.2 million to build both campuses.

Crews break ground on new school: 'Breathtakingly beautiful piece of property':

Future La Vergne school honors community volunteer

The name for the current Roy Waldron Elementary School Annex will be Simon Springs Community School in La Vergne.

The La Vergne school includes a Fox mascot, which is a woodland creature people can find near springs, said County Commissioner Laura Davidson , a La Vergne resident who served on the committee that recommended the name, mascot and colors.

The school colors are metallic silver and burnt orange.

La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole said the proposed name honors the late Bob Simon, "one of our community volunteers" who died several years ago.

"He had always pushed for a community center for the city, and volunteered at multiple community events for several years," Cole said.

'We're not all treated the same': County Schools building plans annoy La Vergne leaders

Commissioner Davidson said that Simon used to tell people he was buying a lottery ticket and plans to use the money if he wins to build a community center for children and others.

"His family is real excited about this," Davidson said. "I felt like that was a great honor to memorialize him. He was a wonderful human. He really was."

Simon was also known for volunteering with Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, the La Vergne Senior Center and Box 100, a Rutherford County non-profit organization that provides assistance to firefighters, other emergency responders and victims at structure fires, Davidson said.

Davidson said the "Springs" part of the name honors the springs in La Vergne leading to Percy Priest Lake.

Part of the plan includes $2.4 million in renovations for a building that's about 60 years old, and that should be great for the children at a school that used to be known as La Vergne Primary School , Davidson said.

'I'm very, very excited': Rutherford school board chooses Shelia Bratton as new chairwoman

The plan for future future La Vergne school that will open by this August includes serving an estimated 20 children in autism spectrum disorder classrooms in grades 1-8. These classrooms are relocating from from Whitworth-Buchanan Middle in southeast Murfreesboro,  Oakland Middle in northeast Murfreesboro , Smyrna Middle in the central part of the town and Rocky Fork Middle in west Smyrna.

The plans for the La Vergne school also would provide behavior intervention classrooms for grades 1-5 relocating from three schools: Cedar Grove Elementary in west Smyrna, Plainview Elementary on the far southeast side of Rutherford and Walter Hill Elementary on the northside.

District officials also view the future La Vergne campus as being the first alternative school for grades 1-5 for children breaking rules for behavior.

The goal for all the children at the future La Vergne school will be to improve behavior and return to their previously assigned schools, district spokesman James Evans said.

'I'm horrified': Advocate opposes Rutherford schools' plan for autism spectrum students

Third alternative school for grades 6-12 to honor former city mayor, African American educator

The other school name is Westbrooks-Woods Academy. This future campus will be the district's third alternative school serving grades 6-12 for students expelled from their assigned campuses for violations of conduct, such as being caught with illegal drugs or hitting a teacher.

The third alternative school will open by this August at 814 S. Church St. near downtown Murfreesboro.

The alternative school includes an Admirals mascot and blue and white colors that match what's used by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

Maxwell, a school board member since 2020, served as chairwoman of the committee that recommended Westbrooks-Woods Academy name. She prefers the name include "Academy" instead of alternative school for a campus that will seek for the students to return to their zoned schools and "perform like they should have been doing in the first place."

'Our alternative schools are full' County seeks to buy building for expelled students

The name also honors former Murfreesboro Mayor Murfreesboro Mayor W.H. "Hollis" Westbrooks. He was partly known for leading the city efforts to build the historic Cannonsburgh Village to celebrate the nation's Bicentennial in 1976. The village includes a reassembled Westbrooks Store that belonged to his grandparents from rural Link community by Rutherford's southern boundary with Bedford County.

Mayor Westbrooks also had served as chairman of the Rutherford County Board of Education from 1942-1956.

The name also honors Olivia Woods, who died in 2016 at age 96. In 1962, Woods was the first African American undergraduate student at Middle Tennessee State Teachers College (former name of MTSU), according to the university's website. She graduated from the Murfreesboro college in 1965 with a degree in elementary education and a minor in humanities. Woods also earned a master's degree in 1974 from MTSU in curriculum and instruction.

School board primary: GOP voters choose Vaughn, Vaught, Tidwell and Maxwell for Rutherford County school board

Prior to pursuing degrees from MTSU, Woods attended Tennessee Agriculture and Industrial State College, which today is called Tennessee State University and is located in Nashville.

Woods served as a 21-year teacher for Murfreesboro City Schools until retiring in 1986, Maxwell said.

Prior to college, Woods attended the city's Bradley Elementary and the county's Holloway High when both schools served Black students during the segregation era, Maxwell said.

'It's not fair': Lower TN report card grades raises questions following voucher proposal

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