ERIC Number: EJ1377103
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jun
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: EISSN-1554-8279
The Impact of COVID-19 on Student Reading Development
Gray, Jacob S.; Powell-Smith, Kelly A.; Good, Roland H., III
Elementary School Journal, v123 n4 p583-598 Jun 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to dramatic changes in way of life for people across the globe. One of the most common disruptions to everyday life has been the prolonged closure of schools, in-person school in particular. This article presents research examining the consequences of the pandemic on the reading skills of first- through sixth-grade students across the United States. Using a large, nationally representative sample (total N > 950,000), we compared reading scores from the fall assessment period of the 2020-2021 school year to the 2019-2020 school year. We found substantial declines in reading skills in fall 2020 compared with previous years, even accounting for preexisting differences in performance. Limitations to the study include potential confounding variables and the necessity of using a quasi-experimental design. Implications of this decline in reading skills are discussed, as well as some ways educators can attempt to address these declines.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A