Changes in Academic Achievement and the Use of Online Learning Applications in Pittsburgh Public Schools During Remote Instruction in the COVID-19 Pandemic

As concerns about the pandemic and disruptions to instruction continue, educators and policymakers need to know how to identify students who have disengaged and address lags in learning. In this webinar, staff from Pittsburgh Public Schools and REL Mid-Atlantic discussed changes in student achievement, described how students engaged with online learning applications during remote instruction during the past year and discussed the connections between achievement and virtual engagement. The team analyzed remote learning data, looking at both test scores and course grades. Test scores indicated that most students experienced growth, but less than in a typical year. These gaps were largest for the youngest students, but course failures increased most in middle and high school. Attendance data indicated that many students were likely failing courses because they were not showing up for their remote classes.

Our presenters included the following:

• Brian Gill, REL Mid-Atlantic
• Whitney Kozakowski, REL Mid-Atlantic
• Patrick Lavallee, REL Mid-Atlantic
• Ted Dwyer, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Check out a previous presentation examining achievement data and memo outlining the methodology of this study to learn more.