Poll: Five Years After COVID-19: Massachusetts Parents Are Still Struggling with the Fallout
Poll highlights lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, from academic concerns to digital equity gaps.
BOSTON, MA — Five years after COVID-19 disrupted classrooms and sent thousands of Massachusetts students into remote learning, lasting impacts continue to burden the state’s education system. While the immediate crisis has subsided, long-term consequences persist: student performance in reading and math continues to decline, chronic absenteeism rates remain high, and systemic challenges persist. A new poll released today by EdTrust in Massachusetts also reveals that parental concerns about student achievement, safety, and access to critical resources remain top of mind — especially in underserved communities.
The statewide poll, conducted by The MassINC Polling Group — with data trends dating back to 2020 — reveals that digital access, a longstanding equity issue spotlighted during the pandemic, remains a barrier for students. In 2025, while the majority of parents report having sufficient internet access (91%) and enough devices (87%), these overall figures mask persistent inequities — especially among families from low-income backgrounds and Latino families. Just 68% of parents earning under $50,000 report having access to enough devices (down from 80% in 2020) compared to 94% earning $100,000 or more. Similarly, only 80% of parents from low-income backgrounds (earning under $50,000) report having reliable internet access, which is lower than that of their higher-income counterparts. Among Latino families, access has deteriorated over time. 74% report having enough devices, down from 89% in October 2020. The percentage of Latino parents indicating insufficient device access has more than doubled, rising from 10% in 2020 to 24% in 2025.
“It's disheartening that, amid all the challenges our students and families are already facing—especially with the ongoing attacks on public education—we are still dealing with issues that should have been resolved by now,” said Jennie Williamson, state director for EdTrust in Massachusetts. “Access to devices and technology is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. As the cost of living rises, policymakers must ensure schools are equipped with the resources they need. We know, without a doubt, that lack of access directly undermines student success and their broader educational experience.”
Throughout this polling series, parents expressed optimism about their children’s learning and held high expectations for their school community. By 2025, that has waned:
While 62% of parents in 2025 say their child's teacher is “doing the best they can,” compared to 67% in 2020 — trust in schools and districts has declined more sharply, falling to 47% and 40%, respectively (down from 57% and 50% in 2020).
Perceptions vary notably across racial and ethnic groups. Among Asian parents, trust that teachers are doing the best they can dropped sharply from 67% in 2020 to 47% in 2025, with nearly a quarter (24%) now saying their child's teacher could be doing much better. Latino parents show a similar decline, with confidence falling from 74% in 2020 to 62% in 2025, and 21% now expressing that their child's teacher could improve.
A notable percentage of parents also give schools low marks in key areas: 29% grade their child's school between a C and F for academic rigor, 24% for creating a welcoming environment, 30% for teacher diversity, and 35% for family engagement.
Concerns about academic progress are growing as well. Between 2022 and 2025, parental concern increased from 36% to 43%, with heightened concern among parents of students with an individualized education program (IEP) rising from 49% to 60%, and among parents of multilingual learners, from 52% to 69%. Racial disparities also persist: concern among Black parents rose from 31% in 2022 to 45% in 2025 and remains elevated at 41% in 2025; among Asian parents, concern increased from 35% to 46%, from 2023 to 2025. Although 71% of parents say their child's school provides adequate academic resources, confidence drops to 58% among families who say they lack enough digital devices at home.
“The pandemic showed us how important it is for families and schools to work closely together to help students succeed,” said Ivelisse Caraballo, executive director of the Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network. “Building that relationship can be challenging, but it's necessary. Our school community has faced a lot of challenges over the past five years, and the problems they have encountered are getting worse because of uncertainty at the national level. Families and schools feel it. And most of all, our children are negatively impacted. That’s why we must unite. Now more than ever, we need strong local leadership, open communication, and meaningful teamwork between schools and families to make sure our schools stay focused on what really matters: helping every child learn and thrive.”
As students returned to classrooms after the pandemic, many continued to struggle with the lingering mental health challenges of the transition, making it even more critical for schools to foster welcoming environments — rather than by responding with “hardening” schools through harsh disciplinary policies, which disproportionately impact Black and Latino students and students with disabilities. However, this poll reveals concerns about persistent safety, fairness, and racial discrimination. While 21% of white parents report their child has experienced unfair treatment due to race or ethnicity, the figure rises to 30% for Black parents, 37% for Latino parents, and 39% for Asian parents. Latino parents are also the least likely to say their child feels safe from bullying (67%), violence (72%), or racism (74%), all below statewide averages. Parents also reported an increase in disciplinary actions, with 31% of parents saying their child has been disciplined this year, compared to 24% in 2021. Moreover, while 15% of parents overall report that their child was frequently or sometimes disciplined this year, this number increases to 26% among parents of children with an IEP and 33% among parents of multilingual learners. Notably, 17% of parents of multilingual learners say their child frequently faces racial unfairness — nearly triple the overall rate of 6%.
Additional key takeaways include:
Although mental health concerns peaked during the height of the pandemic—reaching 60% in February 2021 — they remain high in 2025, with 45% of parents still expressing concern, including elevated levels among parents of students with an IEP (63%) and multilingual learners (68%). While 76% of parents report overall satisfaction with school-based mental health resources, that satisfaction falls to 69% among those currently worried about their child’s well-being.
Significant disparities in postsecondary expectations persist across race, income, and education level: while 48% of parents of students in grades 6-12 expect their child to pursue a bachelor’s degree, that number drops to 39% for Black parents, 31% for Latino parents, and just 26% among parents without a college degree — compared to 66% for Asian parents, 49% for white parents, and 71% among college-educated parents. Postsecondary expectations also differ dramatically across income levels, with 62% of families earning over $100,000 saying they expect their child to pursue a bachelor's degree compared to just 17% of those earning under $50,000.
Parental perceptions of academic performance in reading and math vary sharply by income, education, and IEP status: while 60% of parents overall say their child is doing well in reading, that falls to 53% among those without a bachelor's degree and 51% among families earning under $100,000 — compared to 67% and 68%, respectively, for higher-educated and higher-income parents. Additionally, confidence is even lower among parents of students with an IEP (48%). Regarding math perceptions, it is even more concerning, with only 52% of parents overall saying their child is doing well and lower-income families again reporting the least confidence.
METHODOLOGY: This poll is the latest in a series of 12 polling waves going back to mid-2020, made possible by support from The Barr Foundation. 1,126 Massachusetts parents with students in grades K-12, including oversamples of Black, Latino, and Asian parents, were surveyed through live telephone and online interviews in English and Spanish from April 7 to 21, 2025. Results within race and ethnicity were weighted by age, gender, geography, and education level for each group. The results were weighted with a credibility interval of +/- 3.0 percentage points.
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About EdTrust: EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the American education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where students will thrive. Learn more at edtrust.org/massachusetts/.
About The MassINC Polling Group: The MassINC Polling Group (MPG) is a nonpartisan public opinion research firm serving public, private, and social-sector clients. MPG elevates the public’s voice with cutting-edge methods and rigorous analysis. Based in Boston, MPG serves a nationwide client base. Learn more at massincpolling.com.