Public School Covid Lockdowns: Compensation for Affected Students Overdue

Five years ago, public schools across the United States closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Students in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other large school districts were locked out of classrooms for 18 months. These prolonged public school closures harmed a generation of children. According to University of Arkansas professor of education policy Harry Anthony Patrinos, school closures in developed countries reduced students’ lifetime earnings by $21,000.

This 2020 estimate appears conservative in light of recent U.S. test scores, which reveal the scope of the learning loss. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that the reading scores of American students declined significantly between 2019 and 2024: 40 percent of fourth-graders now score “below basic.” Tragically, the results reveal widening achievement gaps, with disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers.

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About the Author

Dan Lips

Dan Lips is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity.

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Five years ago, public schools across the United States closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Students in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other large school districts were locked out of classrooms for 18 months. These prolonged public school closures harmed a generation of children. According to University of Arkansas professor of education policy Harry Anthony Patrinos, school closures in developed countries reduced students’ lifetime earnings by $21,000.

This 2020 estimate appears conservative in light of recent U.S. test scores, which reveal the scope of the learning loss. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that the reading scores of American students declined significantly between 2019 and 2024: 40 percent of fourth-graders now score “below basic.” Tragically, the results reveal widening achievement gaps, with disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers.