Remote Learning Widened Educational Gaps, Especially in Math
The Educational Consequences of Remote and Hybrid Instruction during the Pandemic
This study analyzed data from over two million students in nearly 10,000 schools across 49 states and the District of Columbia to understand how remote and hybrid instruction affected educational achievement gaps related to race and school poverty. The study found that remote instruction played a significant role in widening these gaps, especially in math. While math gaps did not increase in areas with in-person learning, reading gaps did. The study suggests that high-poverty districts that adopted remote learning during the 2020-2021 period will need to allocate a substantial portion of their federal aid to help students recover from pandemic-induced academic setbacks.
Goldhaber, Dan, Thomas J. Kane, Andrew McEachin, Emily Morton, Tyler Patterson, and Douglas O. Staiger. 2023. “The Educational Consequences of Remote and Hybrid Instruction during the Pandemic.” American Economic Review: Insights, 5 (3): 377-92.
