• Last updated: Mon, Feb 5, 2024Status: Ongoing
• Adam Altmejd, Carina Mood, Jan Jonsson, and Andreas Gustafsson

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect learning disparities between immigrants and natives?

International data show overall a negative impact of the COVID-19 period on learning, although the only published Swedish study shows no effect. The newly published PISA results, however, suggest that Swedish school children suffered to the same extent as those in other countries, with tougher restrictions on schooling. We focus on the test score gap between pupils with foreign-born parents and others, and ask whether the gap grew or contracted over the COVID period. Predictions could go in both directions: On the one hand, pupils with foreign background study harder, have higher ambitions, and believe more in their own capacity – on the other, their families are on average poorer, live more crowded, and were more affected by COVID.