The Impact of COVID and Learning Support Services on Students’ Academic Outcomes and Postsecondary Enrollment

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Modern Emerging Issues in Rural Education

Abstract

We aim to: (a) examine the relationship between the pandemic and rural students’ academic outcomes including high school GPAs, high school graduation, ACT Composite score, and postsecondary enrollment (PSE), and (b) examine the relationship between student learning services and the academic outcomes for students who experienced the pandemic. Data was retrieved from 19,431 twelfth graders from 11 school districts in western North Carolina. Our study reveals that the pandemic had lingering impacts on academic outcomes of rural students in remote areas such as ACT scores, high school graduation rates, and PSE rates. This study also reveals that to better enhance rural students’ academic outcomes, more attention should be paid to their preference in the use of modalities for learning services.

Authors

• Jui-Teng Li, Appalachian State University

• Catherine Parks, Appalachian State University

• Corinne Smith, Appalachian State University

• James Beeler, Appalachian State University

• Kathryn Watson, Appalachian State University

• Hayden Laws, Appalachian State University

• Shawn McNulty, Appalachian State University