Road to COVID Recovery
Road to COVID Recovery
Researchers from CEPR have partnered with colleagues at CALDER at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and NWEA to uncover the impact of the pandemic on learning loss and work with a coalition of districts across the country to help determine which COVID recovery interventions are working (or not working) and why.
In the wake of instructional challenges faced since the start of the pandemic, districts across the country are currently making important decisions about which interventions and strategies to implement to aid with COVID recovery. Understanding which interventions work best for students, and how to best implement them, is critical as we collectively move forward. The research group aims to maximize the potential of this research to practically inform each district’s recovery efforts, as well as offer insights to the larger field.
For press inquiries, contact Sam Stockwell, Director of Communications, at samuel_stockwell@gse.harvard.edu.
Research and Reports
School's in for Summer: A Scalable and Effective Post-Pandemic Academic Intervention
Summer school consistently boosted students’ math achievement in 2022 and 2023 but had no impact on reading. The math gains were modest, equivalent to about 2 to 3 weeks of learning during the school year.
Research Brief: Summer School As a Learning Loss Recovery Strategy After COVID-19: Evidence from Summer 2022
This brief finds that summer school helped boost math achievement after COVID-19 but had no impact on reading and, at current participation levels, is insufficient on its own to close pandemic learning gaps.
Summer School as an Academic Recovery Strategy After COVID-19: Evidence from Summer 2023
This report examines the impact of 2023 summer programs on academic recovery. It finds modest but significant improvements in student math achievement and no significant improvements in reading.
Impacts of Academic Recovery Interventions on Student Achievement in 2022-23
This paper finds that while a few interventions produced meaningful gains in math and reading after COVID-19 learning losses, most recovery efforts were insufficient to drive district-wide academic recovery.
Summer School As a Learning Loss Recovery Strategy After COVID-19: Evidence from Summer 2022
This study finds that summer school produced modest math gains but no reading improvements after COVID-19, indicating that summer programming alone is insufficient to fully address pandemic-related learning loss.
The Challenges of Implementing Academic COVID Recovery Interventions
This report finds that while districts launched many COVID-19 academic recovery efforts, implementation barriers sharply limited their reach and impact, leaving most students far from full academic recovery.
What Do Changes in State Test Scores Imply for Later Life Outcomes?
This brief shows that sustaining effective distance education at LACCD depends on balancing flexible course options with stronger institutional supports for faculty capacity, connection, and well-being.
