A Quarter of Public Schools Reported Student Inattention, Negatively Impacted Learning

Lack of focus or inattention from students had a “severe negative impact” on their learning during the 2023–24 school, according to 26% of public school leaders surveyed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Peggy G. CarrNCES’s report provides insights into how some schools are using tutoring to address student behavior and learning. Most rated tutoring as, at least, moderately effective at improving student outcomes.

“Schools continue to grapple with the ongoing impact the pandemic had on their students,” said Peggy G. Carr, commissioner of NCES, the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

NCES collected data on student behavior in 2023-24. It also includes types of tutoring that public schools provide to students (46% reporting high use of tutoring) and ratings, by public school leaders, of the tutoring’s effectiveness. About 90% of schools rated it as being “moderately,” “very,” or “extremely” effective in improving student outcomes.

Eighty-seven percent of public schools reported having provided any type of tutoring to their students in May 2024, up from 82% reporting the same earlier in October 2023. About 47% of public schools reported having provided two or more types of tutoring.