Combined Schools as a (Non) Protective Factor During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Exploring Middle School Transitions Under Typical versus Atypical School Conditions

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11670849
AutoresMelissa Kay Diliberti (0009-0002-6035-3097, RAND Corporation, autor correspondente), Jonathan D Schweig (RAND Corporation), Jonathan Schweig (0000-0003-1950-0358, RAND Corporation), Louis T Mariano (RAND Corporation), Megan Kuhfeld (0000-0002-2231-5228, NWEA), Andrew Mceachin (0000-0002-5113-6616, ETS Research Institute, Princeton, NJ)
Ano2025
Volume46
Fascículo2
Páginas278-305
Data de publicação2025-02-02
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Journal of Early Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0272-4316 • E-ISSN: 1552-5449
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/02724316251317596
OpenAlexW4407110528
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas32

Combined schools spanning the elementary and middle grades (like K–8 schools) can protect students from harms associated with structural transitions by offering a stable school environment at a time when youth are undergoing many physical, psychological, and social changes. Using math and reading MAP Growth assessment scores from 20,000 students in parallel prepandemic and pandemic event studies, we investigate the extent to which the protective benefits historically offered by combined schools prepandemic held during the COVID-19 pandemic—a period of prolong disruption to normal schooling conditions. We find sixth and seventh graders enrolled in combined schools before the pandemic had scores 0.12 to 0.16 standard deviation (SD) units higher than their peers in standalone middle schools. That advantage diminished during the pandemic; middle grade youth in combined schools in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 had math and reading scores that were only 0.04 to 0.08 SDs higher than their transitional counterparts. During the pandemic, school configuration mattered more for students’ reading, but not their math, achievement if they were attending school in-person than if they were attending school remotely. Our findings raise questions about the mechanisms through which combined schools offer academic benefits under both typical and atypical schooling conditions

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Geography · Outbreak · Pandemic · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Early Childhood Education and Development · Medicine · School Choice and Performance · Youth Development and Social Support · Internal Medicine · Virology