2021
Working Paper
HBS Working Paper Series

Who Closed the Schools?

Abstract

This paper examines the differences in characteristics between US public schools that opted for virtual instruction because of Covid-19, and schools that did not. Much of the variation can be explained by measures of the degree to which districts favored teachers over students before the pandemic: Districts that chose virtual instruction exhibited a far greater willingness to prioritize teacher interests over those of students and the interests of teachers with seniority over younger and/or higher-performing teachers. We provide evidence that this prioritization is associated with significant costs in terms of student test results and graduation rates.