The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on education, with its effects on student performance widely recognized. Yet, four years later, college scores remain stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels. A recent study from the University of Mississippi sheds light on this ongoing crisis.
Published in a special issue of the Educational Sciences journal, the research conducted by three Ole Miss scholars reveals a troubling trend: student performance has not only declined since the pandemic but continues to fall year after year. While numerous studies have examined the immediate effects of the pandemic, the Ole Miss team identifies a deeper, more systemic issue.
“We were initially puzzled,” says Gregg Davidson, professor of geology and geological engineering. “If learning was disrupted by a singular event, why didn’t scores drop, stabilize, or rebound? The continued decline raises serious questions.”
The research team, including Gregg Davidson, Kristin Davidson—a lecturer in computer and information science—and Hong Xiao, an assistant professor in the same field, argues that the challenges extend beyond academic material missed during school closures. They contend that students also suffered a significant loss of essential life skills typically cultivated in high school, skills vital for thriving in college and future careers.
“As educators, it’s crucial to recognize these underlying issues so we can proactively identify causes and seek effective remedies,” Davidson emphasizes.
Among these critical skills are time management, self-motivation, critical thinking, and social interaction. The absence of these competencies can lead to disengagement, difficulty managing coursework, and reluctance to seek help—all of which can profoundly impact academic performance.
“I began my research before the pandemic, focusing on the differences between online and in-person classroom performance for my Ph.D. dissertation,” Kristin Davidson recalls. “I suspected there was a significant difference, but following the pandemic, my study expanded to examine the transformative impact of school shutdowns—and the results were striking.”
Before the pandemic, students typically performed worse in online classes than in face-to-face environments, particularly those with lower initial grades. The structured support of in-person classes often helped these students succeed. However, post-COVID, that structure has eroded, leading to a convergence of performance levels in both formats.
“The structural advantages of in-person classes have diminished,” Gregg Davidson notes, highlighting that students’ face-to-face performance has now dropped to align with their online scores.
This decline serves as a stark reminder of how students still in high school during the pandemic have been disproportionately affected, emphasizing the need for intentional life skill development to ensure academic, professional, and personal success moving forward.
“That starts at home,” Xiao points out. “Family is often the first and most important connection in a student’s life.”