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Sharp increase in inequality in education in times of the COVID-19-pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Haelermans, Carla

    (ROA / Education and transition to work, RS: GSBE Studio Europa Maastricht, RS: GSBE Theme Learning and Work)

  • Korthals, Roxanne
  • Jacobs, Madelon

    (ROA / Education and transition to work, RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research)

  • de Leeuw, Suzanne

    (RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research, ROA / Education and transition to work)

  • Vermeulen, Stan

    (ROA / Education and transition to work, RS: GSBE Theme Learning and Work)

  • van Vugt, Lynn

    (ROA / Health, skills and inequality, RS: GSBE Theme Learning and Work)

  • Aarts, Bas

    (RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research, ROA / Human capital in the region)

  • Breuer, Tijana

    (ROA / Labour market and training, RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research)

  • van der Velden, Rolf

    (ROA / Education and transition to work, RS: GSBE Theme Learning and Work)

  • van Wetten, Sanne

    (RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research, ROA / Education and transition to work)

  • de Wolf, Inge

    (ROA / Labour market and training, RS: GSBE other - not theme-related research)

Abstract

The COVID-19-pandemic forced many countries to close schools abruptly in the spring of 2020. These school closures and the subsequent period of distance learning has led to concerns about increasing inequality in education, as children from lower-educated and poorer families have less access to (additional) resources at home. This study analyzes differences in declines in learning gains in primary education in the Netherlands for reading, spelling and math, using rich data on standardized test scores and register data on student and parental background for almost 300,000 unique students. The results show large inequalities in the learning loss based on parental education and parental income, on top of already existing inequalities. The results call for a national focus on interventions specifically targeting vulnerable students.

Suggested Citation

  • Haelermans, Carla & Korthals, Roxanne & Jacobs, Madelon & de Leeuw, Suzanne & Vermeulen, Stan & van Vugt, Lynn & Aarts, Bas & Breuer, Tijana & van der Velden, Rolf & van Wetten, Sanne & de Wolf, Inge, 2021. "Sharp increase in inequality in education in times of the COVID-19-pandemic," ROA Research Memorandum 010, Maastricht University, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:umaror:2021010
    DOI: 10.26481/umaror.2021010
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dalit Contini & Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Caterina Muratori & Daniela Piazzalunga & Lucia Schiavon, 2021. "The Covid-19 pandemic and school closure: learning loss in mathematics in primary education," DEM Working Papers 2021/16, Department of Economics and Management.
    2. Grewenig, Elisabeth & Lergetporer, Philipp & Werner, Katharina & Woessmann, Ludger & Zierow, Larissa, 2021. "COVID-19 and educational inequality: How school closures affect low- and high-achieving students," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Raj Chetty & John N Friedman & Michael Stepner & Opportunity Insights Team & Camille Baker & Harvey Barnhard & Matt Bell & Gregory Bruich & Tina Chelidze & Lucas Chu & Westley Cineus & Sebi Devlin-Fol, 2024. "The Economic Impacts of COVID-19: Evidence from a New Public Database Built Using Private Sector Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 139(2), pages 829-889.
    4. Orlov, George & McKee, Douglas & Berry, James & Boyle, Austin & DiCiccio, Thomas & Ransom, Tyler & Rees-Jones, Alex & Stoye, Jörg, 2021. "Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: It is not who you teach, but how you teach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    5. Bol, Thijs, 2020. "Inequality in homeschooling during the Corona crisis in the Netherlands. First results from the LISS Panel," SocArXiv hf32q, Center for Open Science.
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    Cited by:

    1. Patrinos,Harry Anthony & Vegas,Emiliana & Carter-Rau,Rohan, 2022. "An Analysis of COVID-19 Student Learning Loss," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10033, The World Bank.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General

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