The COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closure: Learning Loss in Mathematics in Primary Education

Italy was the first Western country hit by Covid-19 in February 2020, responding with a tight lockdown and full school closure until end of year. This paper estimates effect pandemic on math skills primary pupils Italy. We compare learning achievements two cohorts pupils, pre-Covid Covid cohort. For both cohorts, we match scores national standardised assessment grade 2 test delivered researchers at 3. The had large negative impact pupils' performance mathematics (-0.19 standard deviations). Among children low-educated parents, loss larger for best-performing ones (up to -0.51 s.d.) girls (-0.29 s.d.).