The Hoover Institution of Stanford University has released new data analyzing the COVID-19 pandemic learning losses among Hawaiʻi's students.
The findings were presented to the Board of Education’s Student Achievement Committee last Thursday, comparing students in 2019 to those in 2022.
Stanford economist Eric Hanushek led the research, which projects that school closures and distance learning over the shutdown period cost the state about $31 billion in economic losses.
Additionally, Hanushek estimates that Hawaiʻi students affected by the pandemic will make roughly 3.7% less in lifetime earnings than others.
"Even if education returns to its pre-pandemic quality, there is a cohort of students that will move through the future labor force with lower skills and achievement than those both before and after them," the report reads.
However, Hawaiʻi schools are returning to pre-pandemic levels in terms of academic achievement. Compared to the national average, economists found that Hawaiʻi is a "leader in academic recovery."
To view the report, click here.
