Americans are divided over the type of instruction K-12 schools should provide in the fall % saying that, all things considered, K-12 schools in the area where they live should provide the following type of instruction in the fall days a week Parent of child in elementary, middle or high school COVID-19 deaths sper 100K residents
Americans have mixed views about whether K-12 schools in their area should offer in-person instruction, online instruction or a combination of both as the coronavirus outbreak intensifies across much of the country. And while the public sees health risks to students and teachers as the top factor that should be given a lot of consideration as schools decide whether to reopen, there are wide partisan gaps in these views, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
Overall, about three-in-ten U.S. adults (28%) say that, all things considered, K-12 schools in the area where they live should provide online instruction five days a week in the fall, while a smaller share (19%) say schools should provide in-person instruction five days a week. The largest share of Americans (36%) say K-12 schools in their area should provide a mix of online and in-person instruction.
Among parents with children who will be enrolled in elementary, middle or high school in the fall, 32% say K-12 schools in their area should offer online instruction five days a week, while a similar share (34%) say schools should offer a mix of online and in-person instruction. About a quarter of these parents (23%) say schools in their area should offer in-person instruction five days a week.
White adults are the most likely to say K-12 schools in their area should offer in-person school five days a week: 24% say this, compared with about one-in-ten Black (8%), Hispanic (10%) and Asian (12%) adults. Among Black Americans, 43% say that, all things considered, schools in their area should provide online instruction five days a week, as do 39% of Hispanic Americans and 35% of Asian Americans. About a quarter of white Americans (23%) share this view.
Americans are divided over the type of instruction K-12  | schools should provide in the fall  | % saying that, all things considered, K-12 schools in the area where they live  | should provide the following type of instruction in the fall  | In-person five  | Online five  | a mix of in-person  | Not  | days a week  | days a week  | aland online  | sure  | All adults  | 19  | 28  | 36  | 16  | Men  | 21  | 25  | 37  | 16  | Women  | 17  | 31  | 35  | 16  | White  | 24  | 23  | 38  | 15  | Black  | 8  | 43  | 32  | 17  | Hispanic 10  | 39  | 32  | 19  | Asian*  | 12  | 35  | 38  | 14  | Upper income  | 23  | 20  | 14  | 44  | Middle income  | 20  | 28  | 37  | 15  | Lower income  | 15  | 19  | 35  | 30  | Parent of child in elementary, middle or high school  | Yes  | 23  | 32  | 34  | 10  | No  | 18  | 18  | 27  | 37  | COVID-19 deaths sper 100K residents  | Among those living in counties with  | 25+, most within  | 16  | 17  | 35  | 32  | last 8 weeks  | 25+, most 8+  | 17  | 29  | 37  | 18  | weeks ago  | <25, most within  | 18  | 27  | 38  | 17  | last 8 weeks  | <25, last most 8+  | 25  | 23  | 37  | 14  | weeks ago  | *Asian adults were interviewed in English only.  | Note: Share of respondents who didn't offer an answer not shown. White, Black and Asian  | adults include those who report being only one race and are earnings not Hispanic methodology Hispanics are of  | any race. Family income tiers are based on adjusted 2018 earnings See methodology for  | more details on income and COVID 19 impact variable  | Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 27. -Aug. 2, 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 