Majority of parents believe distance learning caused their children to fall behind in school, survey finds

A new survey has found that more than half of parents are concerned that their children have fallen behind as a result of remote learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the poll – which was released by USA Today and Ipsos last week – 55% of parents "believe online learning caused their children to fall behind in school." That’s up from May 2020, when 46% of parents felt the same way. 

Many parents do believe their children will be able to make up lost progress, however, according to the survey. Ipsos found 67% of parents said their children "will eventually be able to make up any lost ground," while 22% said their children would not be able to.

Some parents who are particularly worried about their children falling behind have even held their children back a year. Parents and guardians who previously spoke with Fox News said their children struggled to keep up with virtual learning.