Washington If parents weren't familiar with Canvas or Schoology before the pandemic, they likely are now.
The two biggest remote learning providers -- or, more officially,"learning management systems" -- became household names as schools scrambled to help students learn online at home, but they're now fighting to keep their foothold as most districts plan to fully reopen for in-person learning in the fall. School districts nationwide licensed the platforms so that their students could log in to virtual classes, communicate with their teachers and submit schoolwork from home.
Most schools were offering some form of in-person instruction by the end of the 2020-2021 school year, but a lot of students remained in a hybrid model. Just 52% of fourth graders and 46% of eighth graders attended full in-person learning in May, according to the Department of Education. Instructure and PowerSchool are betting that schools will continue to offer virtual learning options in some form and learning management systems will be needed well beyond the pandemic.