Practical Measures, Routines & Representations (PMR²) Whole Class Discussion Survey
Category: Student Learning
We use longitudinal student-level data and interrupted time series methods to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mathematics achievement among 3rd-8th grade students in Virginia, a state that offered particularly low levels of access to in-person learning in the school reopening period. We find notably large negative initial effects on math in 2020-21, much greater in magnitude than estimates of the nationwide impact. The recovery in 2021-22 and 2022-23 was substantial but students remained well-behind pre-pandemic levels. We also observe differential impacts across subgroups, exacerbating inequality based on socioeconomic background and race but not on receipt of special education or English Learner services. Initial negative impacts were larger in districts with lower levels of access to in-person learning in 2020-21, however, these same districts saw the greatest recovery by 2022-23. We observe suggestive evidence that districts providing greater learning needs supports (e.g., tutoring, extended time) saw somewhat smaller achievement declines, but no strong evidence of differences in pandemic effects (or sometimes mixed evidence) based on other district operational decisions such as their emphasis on assessment use, technology, social-emotional supports, family engagement, health protocols, or teacher development. Findings suggest the continued need to address the pandemic’s long educational shadow.
Education level
Topics
Document Object Identifier (DOI)
10.26300/3vhk-8q28
