Improvements in Academic Performance among Students Enrolled in a Statewide Virtual School during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study examines changes in academic performance among elementary students enrolled in a statewide virtual school during the pandemic. Previous studies suggest that school closures and online instruction resulted in learning losses, but no published studies have investigated how students in an accredited virtual school faired academically. Standardized test scores were used to compare students’ academic performance prior to and during the pandemic and it was found that they demonstrated significant gains. Results suggest that while traditional students may have experienced setbacks, students in this study continued to learn and grow, which may be due, in part, to the school’s instructional model.