Shocking the System? The COVID Crisis and Virtual Schooling in Oregon

Abstract

Although the COVID pandemic dramatically expanded K–12 remote learning in its first years, little is known about the lasting effects on virtual schooling policies and practices. Drawing on evolutionary theories of change and qualitative data from 2019 to 2022, we explore this topic in Oregon, a state with a long history of virtual schools. We find that the pandemic contributed to limited change in state virtual schooling policy and some shifts in local organizational practices. Our data also raise questions about the durability of any changes and the implications for marginalized students. Ultimately, this study provides much-needed insights on the impact of the pandemic on policy and practice, and the utility of multi-disciplinary, equity-oriented theory to understand change processes in K–12 education.