As the nation prepares for the beginning of a new school year unlike any other, PBS and member stations are helping support educators, parents and caregivers with a variety of free high-quality, accessible educational media resources. Available to more than 97% of the country through over-the-air television access, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel(for young learners ages 2-8) and the WORLD channel At-Home Learning Service (for learners grades 6-12) will feature broadcast programming linked to at-home learning resources that can be used by educators to supplement distance learning plans, or by parents to provide added enrichment and support for children’s educational needs.
Research shows that more than 24 million Americans still lack access to fast and reliable broadband internet.* PBS has the ability to reach a majority of these households with free, over-the-air station broadcast and a deep trove of digital resources (PBS LearningMedia, pbskids.org, PBS KIDS for Parents, and more) designed to support both in-school and at-home learning for students, which was critical at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. When COVID-19 shut down schools across much of the country, PBS LearningMedia, an online destination that offers free access to thousands of classroom resources, saw its users quadruple to nearly 4 million per month. Additionally, young children’s engagement with PBS KIDS content increased notably, with reach growing by 15% among kids 2-8 on-air, streaming by nearly 30% and game play by 40%.**
Leading these charges locally, PBS stations across the country forged partnerships with their school districts to address specific, state standards-aligned educational needs in each community, including filming and broadcasting local teachers’ classroom lessons.
“We recognize that back to school this year is particularly stressful for many educators and families, especially those who lack access to reliable high-speed Internet and the dedicated devices often required for distance learning,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “Building on 50 years of public service, PBS and our member stations are prepared to ensure equitable access to free and trusted resources in a variety of formats to help meet the needs of students, parents and teachers wherever they are this school year.”
Additional details on the available fall offerings can be found below.
BROADCAST (Check local listings)
- PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: PBS KIDS offers anytime access to more than twenty series aligned to curriculum goals – from science and math, to literacy and life lessons. Available on-air via your local PBS station, and livestreaming on the PBS KIDS Video app and pbskids.org. Related parent and teacher resources are also available (see below).
- WORLD Channel: In partnership with WGBH, from 12 noon to 5 pm ET weekdays, the WORLD Channel offers programs on math, science, social studies and English language arts, curated by educators and aligned to related digital resources on PBS LearningMedia.
DIGITAL AND PRINTABLE RESOURCES
- PBS LearningMedia (a partnership between PBS and WGBH): Educators can find at-home learning resources connected to current broadcast programming, professional learning support, lesson planning kits and more in the PreK-12 Resources for New School Routines collection, which will continue to be updated in the coming weeks. Educator resources in Spanish are also available.
- pbskids.org & PBS KIDS Video App: Full episodes, clips, games and more educational tools for kids 2-8.
- PBS KIDS for Parents: Parents can find tips, resources, printables, an Activity Finder and more tools for learning at home with young children, including a special virtual event: Prepping for a Very Different School Year.
NEWSLETTERS
- PBS LearningMedia Newsletter: A weekly newsletter for educators PreK through 12th grade, showcasing digital offerings that support new school routines.
- PBS KIDS for Parents: This newsletter provides curated resources, including video content, digital games, DIY activities, and parent-directed information to support in-home learning.
* https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-releases-2018-broadband-deployment-report
** Google Analytics March ‘19 – May ‘19, February ‘20 – May ‘20; AppFigures March ‘19 – May ’19, February ‘20 – May
‘20Nielsen NPOWER L+SD, 3/16-5/10/20, All PBS stations, M-Su 6AM-10PM, Reach 75% unif, 1+ min., K2-8.
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