For all the talk of life getting back to normal, school hasn't been the same in years.
Three years since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered schools across the U.S., students have experienced one disruption after another: a COVID outbreak here, a flood there, an ice storm, hurricane, or tornado over there. Community events, school-related violence, even water system breakdowns have disrupted class.
New research published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behaviour concludes that the combination of pandemic-related school closures, the shift to virtual learning where it was even an option and the mental health toll on students set kids back by about a third of a year. The analysis concluded as much based on a review of 42 other studies conducted in 15 countries. Nearly all the world's student population experienced school closures because of COVID.
That probably sounds familiar, but despite billions of dollars pouring into schools to make up for lost time, the gap hasn't closed substantially over time – though it hasn't gotten worse, either. Researchers concluded students' math skills took a bigger dive than reading. Meanwhile, kids from lower-income families, and countries, fared the worst.
"We don’t see a clear pattern for this deficit being recovered," said lead author Bastian A. Betthäuser, of Sciences Po in Paris. "That’s certainly concerning."