MS-DSPP Data Science I Final Group Project

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted education systems, raising questions about the impact of varying school reopening policies. This study examines whether Pennsylvania school districts with similar characteristics but different COVID-19 policies, specifically whether they offered in-person instruction during the 2020-2021 school year, experienced different educational outcomes in the subsequent year. Using district-level data, we matched districts with comparable characteristics that differed in their degree of in-person instruction and analyzed standardized test scores before and after the pandemic. Our findings reveal that districts with more in-person instruction during the studied period experienced significantly smaller declines in math test scores, with an average difference of 0.97 percentage points (t=2.54, df=188) compared to districts without in-person instruction. These results highlight the potential academic benefits of in-person learning amidst unprecedented disruptions.

Ultimately, our results indicate that in Pennsylvania, the mode of learning played a critical role in determining student performance after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings reveal that in-person learning was a significant factor in explaining variations in academic outcomes among students in similar districts. Using matching and OLS techniques, we found that districts that were in-person for longer during the 2020-2021 school year experienced a smaller decline in scores, especially in Math, highlighting the importance of immersive learning environments. These results suggest that face-to-face instruction can mitigate the negative effects of disruptions on student performance. Moving forward, the evidence underscores the potentially imperative role of in-person and immersive learning in safeguarding academic achievement during future crises. Policymakers and educators should prioritize strategies to maintain or safely facilitate in-person learning where possible, as it can be instrumental in reducing the adverse impact on student outcomes in key subject areas.