Rapid Research to Inform Pandemic Recovery
The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) has awarded the Research Alliance a grant to examine disparities in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on New York City high school students and to identify levers for improving equity in postsecondary outcomes. The study is one of nine quick-turn research projects that CRPE is funding, with support from the Walton Family Foundation, to better understand how Covid-19 has affected high school students and recent graduates around the country. The projects are part of a larger effort by CRPE to spur research on academic recovery and new practices to reimagine education in the wake of pandemic-era school disruptions.
About the Study
Building on our ongoing Equity Indicators initiative, which is taking a systematic account of disparities in educational resources, opportunities, and outcomes in New York City, this study will examine how the pandemic shifted high school students’ academic trajectories, especially in historically underserved and marginalized communities. In partnership with local youth, including the #DegreesNYC Youth Council, the project aims to pinpoint academic opportunities in 9th through 12th grade that are most important for postsecondary success.
In particular, our study will examine:
- How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted learning opportunities available to high school students in New York City (e.g., access to advanced coursework)? How do these impacts vary across schools? How do these impacts vary for students from historically marginalized groups?
- How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted outcomes for students as they exit NYC high schools (e.g., on-time graduation rates)? How do these impacts vary across schools? How do these impacts vary for students from historically marginalized groups?
- How do opportunities in high school shape postsecondary outcomes (e.g., college enrollment and persistence)? Which opportunities are most important for postsecondary success? How has the relationship between opportunities and outcomes changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? How does this relationship vary for students from historically marginalized groups?
New York City is an instructive context for this work. Approximately one in every 50 public school students in the country attends a NYC school. The City was an epicenter early in the pandemic, and large numbers of students were affected. Thus, we expect findings from this study to have important national implications, providing lessons for policymakers and practitioners about the most promising levers to address deep-rooted inequities in postsecondary access and success.
This project is funded by the Center on Reinventing Public Education.
