The Impact of COVID-19 on Education Experiences of High School Students in Semi-Rural Georgia Open Access
Ashta, Jasleen (Spring 2021)
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of schools and transition to online learning across the country. High school students, especially those belonging to populations most heavily impacted by the virus, experienced many obstacles and challenges to their education. This study examines the consequences of the pandemic on high school students shortly after the closure of public school buildings, and how these impacts vary by race/ethnicity, gender, grade level, socioeconomic status, and academic performance prior to the pandemic.
Methods: Racial/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse students (n=666) from two high schools in semi-rural Georgia completed a cross-sectional, one-time online survey. Survey results were linked to education and demographic data provided by the school district.
Results: While students largely felt supported by their teachers and school staff and 43% of students believed that they could excel academically during the coronavirus pandemic, approximately 60% expressed academic worry and obstacles to virtual learning, such as unclear expectations from teachers and social isolation. Differences by race/ethnicity, gender, grade level, and socioeconomic status were observed. Hispanic students expressed significantly more academic worry and less confidence in the transition than their peers, while Black students reported less worry despite significantly more technological obstacles than their peers. While female students expressed high satisfaction with school responsiveness and support, they also indicated significantly more academic worry and requested more additional resources than male students. Grade 12 students reported significantly higher levels of academic and career worry than students in lower grade levels. Students eligible for free and reduced lunch expressed significantly more worry and obstacles with online learning than their peers. Non-honors students and low attendance students had 1.6 times higher odds of being worried about grades and graduation compared to honors students and students with regular attendance.
Conclusion: High school students experience differential effects and concerns of the pandemic on their education and career trajectories. COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the education system has the potential to increase the existing academic achievement gap in the United States. Proactive measures to recover from academic loss in the pandemic must be taken to ensure the healthy development of our youth.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction....................................................................................1
A. Research Questions………………………………………………………………..6
II. Methods………………………………………………………………………………8
A. Study Design…………………………………………………..…………………....8
B. Study Population……………………………………………………….……….….8
C. Data Sources………………………………………………………………...….…..8
D. Data Measures…………………………………………………………..……….…9
E. Analyses……………………………………………………………….………....…13
III. Results…………………………………………………………………………...….16
IV. Discussion…………………………………………………………………………..24
A. Strengths and Limitations………………………………………………….…..28
B. Future Directions……………………………………………………...……….…29
C. Implications………………………………………………………………...……..30
V. References…………………………………………………………………………..32
VI. Tables………………………………………………………………………………..37
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