About One-Quarter of Public Schools Reported That Lack of Focus or Inattention From Students Had a Severe Negative Impact on Learning in 2023-24

WASHINGTON (July 18, 2024) — Twenty-six percent of public school leaders reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a “severe negative impact” on learning at their school during the 2023–24 school year, according to data released today from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The new data shed light on student behavior in 2023-24, as well as on the types of tutoring that public schools provide to students and public school leaders’ ratings of the tutoring’s effectiveness. Forty-six percent of public schools reported providing high-dosage tutoring at any time during the 2023–24 school year, and 90 percent of these schools rated it as being “moderately,” “very,” or “extremely” effective in improving student outcomes.

“Schools continue to grapple with the ongoing impact the pandemic had on their students,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. “Understanding the availability of tutoring, along with achievement data from the next 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress release, will provide deeper insights into students’ progress toward learning recovery.”

Below are a few highlights. All data released today can be found on the School Pulse Panel dashboard.

• Twenty-six percent of public schools reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a “severe negative impact” on teacher and staff morale during the 2023-24 school year.
• Eighty-seven percent of public schools reported having provided any type of tutoring to their students during the 2023–24 school year, and 47 percent of public schools reported having provided two or more types of tutoring.
• Forty-five percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of weapon (e.g., firearms, knives, Tasers, and explosive devices) from their students during the 2023–24 school year, and 57 percent of public schools reported confiscating some type of substance (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and misused prescription drugs).
• Thirty percent of public schools said that cyberbullying happened at least once a week or more frequently among students attending their school. This estimate includes both instances of cyberbullying that happened at school and instances away from school.

The findings released today are part of an experimental data product from the School Pulse Panel, NCES’s innovative approach to delivering timely information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on public K–12 schools in the U.S. The data, collected between May 14 and 28, came from 1,714 participating public K–12 schools from every state and the District of Columbia.

Additional data collected from 98 public K–12 schools in the U.S. outlying areas—American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—are also available. Results from this collection include the finding that 28 percent of outlying area public school leaders reported that a lack of focus or inattention from students had a “severe negative impact” on learning in the 2023–24 school year.

Experimental data products are innovative statistical tools created using new data sources or methodologies. Experimental data may not meet all of NCES’s quality standards but are of sufficient benefit to data users in the absence of other relevant products to justify release. NCES clearly identifies experimental data products upon their release.

Key findings from the 50 states and Washington, DC

Student Behavior

• Public school leaders were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with statements related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their students’ behavioral and socioemotional development in May 2022 and May 2024.
  • In May 2024, 80 percent of public school leaders reported that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “The COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects continue to negatively impact the behavioral development of students at my school.” When asked a slightly different question in May 2022, 83 percent of public school leaders reported that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the behavioral development of students at my school.”
  • In May 2024, 83 percent of public school leaders reported that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “The COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects continue to negatively impact the socioemotional development of students at my school.” When asked a slightly different question in May 2022, 87 percent of public school leaders reported that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the socioemotional development of students at my school.”
• Public school leaders were asked about how often different types of selected student behaviors occurred at their schools during the 2023–24 school year. The two most commonly reported student behaviors that public school leaders said happened at least once a week or more frequently were threats of physical attacks or fights between students (20 percent, with 12 percent reporting that attacks or fights actually happened at least once a week or more frequently) and bullying (18 percent).
• Thirty percent of public schools said that cyberbullying happened at least once a week or more frequently among students attending their school. Twenty-one percent said that it happened at least once a month; 40 percent said that it happened on occasion; and 9 percent said that it never happened. These estimates include both instances of cyberbullying that happened at school and instances away from school.
  • Compared with the national estimate (11 percent), higher percentages of public schools with the following characteristics reported that cyberbullying happened daily among students attending their schools:
    • Having 1,000 or more students (22 percent)
    • Middle/combined schools (20 percent)
  • Compared with the national estimate (11 percent), a lower percentage of public elementary schools (5 percent) reported that cyberbullying happened daily among students attending their schools.
• Public school leaders were also asked about how often different types of selected student behaviors directed at teachers or staff members occurred at their schools during the 2023–24 school year. The two most commonly reported student behaviors that school leaders said happened at least once a week or more frequently were student acts of disrespect towards teachers or staff members other than verbal abuse (36 percent) and student verbal abuse of teachers or staff members (17 percent).
• Public school leaders were asked whether certain contraband items had been confiscated from their students during the 2023–24 school year. Forty-five percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of weapon (e.g., firearms, knives, Tasers, and explosive devices), and 57 percent of public schools reported having confiscated some type of substance (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs). The three most commonly reported confiscated items were:
  • Tobacco products or paraphernalia (e.g., cigarettes or vaping products) (54 percent of public schools reported having confiscated these items)
  • Knives or other sharp objects that are used as a weapon (40 percent)
  • Illegal drugs or other drug paraphernalia (34 percent)

• Public school leaders were asked about the extent to which certain student behaviors negatively impacted teacher and staff morale and learning at their schools during the 2023-24 school year. The table below displays the percentages of public schools reporting that these behaviors had a “severe negative impact” on teacher and staff morale and learning.

  	Severe negative impact on teacher and staff morale	Severe negative impact on learning
  Lack of focus or inattention from students	26%	26%
  Students being academically unprepared for school (e.g., not doing homework, not bringing necessary supplies)	22%	21%
  Students being disruptive in the classroom (e.g., calling out, talking to others during instruction, getting out of seat when not allowed, leaving classroom)	22%	19%
  Students not doing individual work	15%	19%
  Students being physically unprepared for school (e.g., lack of sleep, not eating before school)	16%	18%
  Use of cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices when not permitted	16%	16%
  Student tardiness	13%	18%
  Students cutting class	7%	11%
  Students having trouble working with partners or in small groups	9%	9%
  Students being disruptive outside of the classroom (e.g., yelling or running in the hallways or lunchroom)	6%	7%

• Public school leaders were asked about what they needed to better support student behavior and development in May 2022 and in May 2024. The table below displays the percentages of public schools reporting these selected needs.

  	May 2022	May 2024	Significant difference
  More support for student and/or staff mental health	79%	76%
  More training on supporting students’ socioemotional development	70%	71%
  More training on classroom management strategies	50%	61%	*
  More teachers and/or staff need to be hired	59%	52%	*

  *Statistically significantly different (p < .05) compared to May 2022.

Tutoring

• In May 2024, 87 percent of public schools reported having provided any type of tutoring at any time during the school year, an increase from the 82 percent of public schools that had reported earlier in the 2023–24 school year, in October 2023, that students were provided tutoring. In May 2024, 47 percent reported having provided two or more types of tutoring. The table below displays the percentages of public schools that had provided various types of tutoring to their students as of October 2023 and May 2024.

  	October 2023	May 2024	Significant difference
  Standard tutoring	52%	66%	*
  High-dosage tutoring	39%	46%	*
  Self-paced tutoring	14%	24%	*
  On-demand online tutoring	8%	13%	*
  Other tutoring	10%	6%	*

  *Statistically significantly different (p < .05) compared to October 2023.

• Public schools that provided tutoring were asked to rate how effective each of their tutoring program(s) had been in improving student outcomes during the 2023–24 school year. In May 2024, high-dosage tutoring was rated as being “very” or “extremely” effective by about half of schools providing it (52 percent). Fewer schools rated standard tutoring (27 percent), self-paced tutoring (17 percent), on-demand online tutoring (18 percent), and other tutoring (27 percent) as being “very” or “extremely” effective.

Technical Note

Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and non-sampling error. All comparisons in this statistical press release have been tested and found to be statistically significant unless otherwise noted. NCES statistical tests are generally conducted at a 95 percent level of confidence.

Definitions of Tutoring Program Types

• Standard tutoring was defined for respondents as a less intensive method of tutoring in which the same student(s) receive(s) tutoring
  • Any number of times per week OR on an as-needed (drop-in) basis,
  • In sessions with no minimum length of time,
  • In sessions that may be one-on-one or involve any number of other students, and
  • That is provided by educators who may or may not have received specific training in tutoring practices.
• High-dosage tutoring (also known as evidence-based or high-quality tutoring) was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which the same student(s) receive(s) tutoring
  • Three or more times per week,
  • For at least 30 minutes per session,
  • In sessions that are one-on-one or with small groups,
  • That is provided by educators or well-trained tutors who have received specific training in tutoring practices,
  • That aligns with evidence-based core curriculum or programs, AND
  • Is NOT drop-in homework help.
• Self-paced tutoring was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which a student works on their own, typically online, where they are provided guided instruction that allows them to move on to new material after displaying mastery of content.
• On-demand online tutoring was defined for respondents as a method of tutoring in which a school partners with or contracts out services to an external online tutoring program or company that
  • Offers 24/7 support
  • Is led by qualified tutors (e.g., certified teachers, subject-matter experts), and
  • Is available on-demand for students to access.

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The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.

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The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is the independent and nonpartisan statistics, research, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Its mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.