COVID-19 and Equity in Education: Addressing Disparities and Access

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schools around the world. School closures, remote learning, and hybrid classes became normal for many learners and teachers, but the changes did not affect everyone equally. Learners from low-income families, minority groups, and learners with special needs faced greater challenges in getting a quality education.

This explainer looks at how the pandemic affected equity in education and at strategies to close the gaps so that every learner has access. It focuses on K-12 education in the United States, but many of the issues and solutions also apply to other countries, including the Philippines.

On this page 4 sections

How COVID-19 affected equity in education

According to UNESCO, school closures affected over 1.6 billion students in more than 190 countries in 2020. In the United States, low-income students and students of color were hit hardest by closures and the shift to remote learning. Three problems stand out.

Lack of devices and internet access

Remote learning depends on technology, and many families do not have it.

• A National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey found that 14% of households with children aged 3 to 18 had no internet access in 2019.
• Only 66% of households earning less than $25,000 had a computer, compared with 95% of households earning $75,000 or more.

Learning loss and achievement gaps

A study by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) estimated that school closures could cause up to a year of learning loss in mathematics and up to three months in reading. Low-income and minority students are more likely to fall behind, which can affect their later schooling and careers.

Social and emotional challenges

Many learners rely on school for social support. A RAND Corporation report found that students with disabilities, English language learners, and low-income students were more likely to struggle socially and emotionally during remote learning.

Strategies to close the gaps

Educators and policymakers can work on five areas to make sure all learners have access to quality education.

Strategy	What it can include
Bridge the digital divide	Give devices and internet access to learners who lack them, form public-private partnerships to expand broadband, and train and support teachers and learners in using technology
Give targeted support to disadvantaged learners	Extra tutoring, mentoring, and counseling, and priority for in-person classes for learners most at risk of falling behind
Prioritize social and emotional support	Mental health services, counseling, and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs
Address systemic inequities	Fix funding gaps, promote diversity and inclusion, and invest in teacher training and professional development
Engage parents and communities	Provide resources to families, encourage parent-teacher collaboration, and open ways for the community to take part in schools

What social-emotional learning does

SEL programs help learners build the skills to manage their emotions, form positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. These skills matter most for learners who lost the daily support of school during closures.

Moving forward

The pandemic showed both the value of technology and remote learning and the inequities that already existed in education. Many of these problems existed long before COVID-19, so lasting change needs long-term action, not only emergency fixes.

These strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Each learner and community has different needs, so solutions should be adapted to the local situation. This takes collaboration among parents, teachers, school leaders, policymakers, and community members.

The pandemic was hard for everyone in education. Teachers adapted to new ways of teaching, learners adjusted to new ways of learning, and parents balanced work and family while supporting their children’s studies. Continuing to support all of them is the way toward a fairer and more inclusive education system.

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