DENVER (AP) — The unprecedented uncertainty whipped up by COVID-19 just weeks before the start of the school year is prompting an increasing number of parents to pursue what amounts to an academic side hustle — small-group "learning pods" that families hope will bring some stability amidst the chaos of a global pandemic.

"I think it comes down to uncertainty — and I think the only certain thing is that last spring did not go well," said Julie Simmons, a Boulder mom who administers the Boulder Valley School District Learning Pods Facebook page. "A lot of parents are really anxious about how to...