COVID-19 and student performance, equity, and U.S. education policy - Lessons from pre-pandemic research to inform relief, recovery, and rebuilding

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob

COVID-19 interrupted learning for millions of students and widened opportunity gaps tied to unequal access to devices, internet, health, nutrition, housing, and financial relief. Evidence from pre-pandemic research indicates that online instruction works only with consistent connectivity and targeted teacher support, while at-home schooling requires sufficient personalized resources. Reduced learning time and chronic absenteeism demand diagnostic, needs-based assessment, personalized remediation, and contingency planning supported by emergency funding. The report recommends a three-part approach: relief, recovery, and rebuilding focused on the whole child.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time2 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Children are not in their schools: What should we expect the consequences to be?

How is COVID-19 exacerbating opportunity gaps (and what steps are schools taking in response)?

Going forward: Translating what we have learned into a plan for the “three Rs”of relief, recovery, and rebuilding

Conclusion

About the authors

Acknowledgments

Endnotes

References

COVID-19 and student performance, equity, and U.S. education policy Lessons from pre-pandemic research to inform relief, recovery, and rebuilding Report • By Emma García and Elaine Weiss • September 10, 2020 • Washington, DC View this report [at](at epi.org/205622)[ epi.org/205622](at epi.org/205622) SECTIONS 1. Introduction • 3 2. Children are not in their schools: What should we expect the consequences to be?• 4 3. How is COVID-19 exacerbating opportunity gaps (and what steps are schools taking in response)? • 18 4. Going forward: Translating what we have learned into a plan for the “three Rs”of relief, recovery, and rebuilding • 27 5. Conclusion • 34 About the authors • 35 Acknowledgments • 36 Endnotes • 36 References • 44 1 Pandemic-relevant research offers key lessons asthe education system responds to the coronavirus crisis: Research regarding online learning and teaching shows that they are effective only if students have consistent access to the internet and computers and if teachers have received targeted training and supports for online instruction. Because these needed requirements for effectiveness have been largely absent for many, remote education during the pandemic has impeded teaching and learning. Research on home schooling shows that it works well for students for whom intentional, personalized, and sufficient resources are available. The crisis-induced delivery of home schooling without time for planning around children’s learning styles and circumstances means that many children home schooled during the pandemic are not replicating such model and thus not reaping the associated benefits. Reduced learning time has likely impeded student learning and also affected the development of the whole child. Once the pandemic allows it, we will need to makeup for this time by increasing both the amount and quality of learning time—through extended schedules, summer enrichment and after-school activities, more personalized instruction, and staffing strategies that reduce class sizes and staff schools with sufficient and highly credentialed educators. Research on chronic absenteeism and on remote learning reinforces the urgency of providing appropriate support to children who are least prepared and especially to those at risk of becoming disengaged and eventually dropping out. Research on summer learning (loss or gain) points to the importance of personalized instruction. The research shows that learning styles and outcomes vary greatly, and that the outcomes are a function of the educational resources that families and systems provide to children across the year and of a large number of factors and circumstances that shape children’s learning and development. Research shows that a lack of contingency planning exacerbates the negative impacts of recessions, natural disasters, and pandemics on learning. Contingency planning thus needs to be institutionalized and include emergency funding to replenish the resources drained during emergencies. What we know about the pandemic’s consequences for education so far helps us plan next steps: Learning and development have been interrupted and disrupted for millions of students. The only effective response is to use diagnostic tests and other tools to meet each child where he or she is and to devise a plan for making up for the interruptions. The pandemic has exacerbated well-documented opportunity gaps that put lowincome students at a disadvantage relative to their better-off peers. Opportunity gaps are gaps in access to the conditions and resources that enhance learning and development, and include access to food and nutrition, housing, health insurance and 2 care, and financial relief measures. One of the most critical opportunity gaps is the uneven access to the devices and internet access critical to learning online. This digital divide has made it virtually impossible for some students to learn during the pandemi

FAQs

Why does the report emphasize diagnosing where students are when learning resumes?

It argues that the pandemic interrupted learning and development, so effective response requires diagnostic tests and tools to meet each child where they are and plan for making up missed progress.

What does the report say determines whether online learning during the pandemic is effective?

Research shows online learning works only with consistent access to the internet and computers and with teachers receiving targeted training and supports for online instruction.

How does the report define opportunity gaps and what are examples of critical gaps?

Opportunity gaps are differences in access to conditions and resources that enhance learning and development, including food and nutrition, housing, health insurance, and financial relief. A key gap highlighted is uneven access to devices and internet needed for online learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob