COVID-19 Impact & Recovery in New Hampshire
2023 Update
Damian Betebenner & Adam VanIwaarden
Center for Assessment
October 10, 2023
Background
Introductory Concepts and Terminology
Academic Recovery in 2023
• The availability of 2023 NHSAS data allows New Hampshire to
update COVID-19 recovery analyses.
• Spring 2023 marks the third year since the pandemic began
and this is the third report:
• Summer 2021: Academic Impact
• Summer 2022: Academic Recovery Year 1
• Summer 2023: Academic Recovery Year 2
Two Types of Recovery in 2023: System & Student
• We elaborate on the results from the previous recovery analyses in two
ways:
• System level recovery: Is the education system supporting rates of
learning that are comparable to what it was prior to the pandemic?
• Student level recovery: Are students achieving at levels that are
comparable to what they were prior to the pandemic?
• Previously, we focused mostly on system-level recovery: examining rates
of learning in 2021 and 2022 compared to those prior to the pandemic.
• We continue examining system level analyses but also focus on student-
level recovery.
Two Types of Recovery: System & Student
• System-level recovery
• Comparison of 2019 and 2023 same-grade student growth: We
examined the change in baseline student growth (SGPs) for 2019
students and 2023 students utilizing coefficient matrices derived
from pre-pandemic cohorts of students.
• Student-level recovery
• Comparison of 2019 to 2023 same-grade achievement: We
examined the equipercentile change in achievement for 2019
students and 2023 students at same-grade
Student-level recovery
• It is critical to understand that recovery of the system does not imply
student level recovery
• Because students’ rates of learning slowed so dramatically during the
pandemic, rates of learning necessary to catch students up to where they
would have been would have to be equally dramatic (in the positive
direction)
• The following figures illustrate the extent to which student attainment is
behind 2019 attainment levels.
• Comparison to 2019 levels is a “low bar” as attainment levels in 2023,
had the pandemic not occurred, would almost certainly have been higher
than 2019 levels (based on “typical” rates of yearly
improvement)student-level
System Recovery: Cohort-Based Comparison (SAS)
Compare observed versus expected attainment for a cohort of students
Grade 3
No Testing due to
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6 COVID-19 Pandemic
Grade 7
Grade 8
Student Recovery: Cross-Sectional Comparison (SAS)
Compare same grade/content area attainment across different years
Grade 3
No Testing due to
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6 COVID-19 Pandemic
Grade 7
Grade 8
Recovery Year 1
From Fall 2021 to Summer 2022
NHSAS: Spring 2021 and Spring 2022 Assessments
Recovery Phase Year 1
• Student growth (baseline referenced to pre-pandemic rates of learning)
was examined by content area and grade as well as for the major student
demographic subgroups.
• Achievement (Student Recovery) and Growth (System Recovery) were
characterized in three ways:
• Lagging: Behind pre-pandemic levels
• On Par: About the same as pre-pandemic levels
• Leading: Ahead of pre-pandemic rates of learning
• Because learning slowed during the initial phase of the pandemic, to
make up for those losses, learning must accelerate to rates above normal
(i.e., leading)
2022 SGP Results
• Mean/Median/Count for cohort referenced and baseline referenced SGP
in ELA and mathematics are as follows:
ELA Mathematics
Grade
Cohort Referenced Baseline Referenced Cohort Referenced Baseline Referenced
Recovery Year 1
• Analysis of 2022 NHSAS & WIDA ACCESS data indicated two things:
• Rates of learning, on average, have returned or are close returning to normal, pre-
pandemic levels. That is, the system has more or less recovered.
• Student attainment, on average, is still lagging behind because rates of learning have
not accelerated enough to catch students up. That is, students have not recovered.
• In both ELA and mathematics, learning acceleration from the lows of the pandemic would
be considered, on average, to be system stabilization.
• System stabilization (a return to normal rates of learning) will be insufficient to catch
students up.
• Results from 2023 data will be important to assess the state of learning (beyond what the
state experience pre-COVID) in New Hampshire.
Recovery Year 2
From Fall 2022 to Summer 2023
SAS: Spring 2022 and Spring 2023 Assessments
Recovery Phase Year 2
• We again distinguish between student-level recovery and system-level
recovery this year.
• Achievement (Student Recovery) and Growth (System Recovery) were
characterized in three ways:
• Lagging: Behind pre-pandemic levels
• On Par: About the same as pre-pandemic levels
• Leading: Ahead of pre-pandemic rates of learning
2023 SGP Results
• Mean/Median/Count for cohort referenced and baseline referenced SGP
in ELA and mathematics are as follows:
ELA Mathematics
Grade
Cohort Referenced Baseline Referenced Cohort Referenced Baseline Referenced
Recovery Phase Year 2
• Student growth in ELA in 2023 exceeded growth in 2022.
• Student growth in mathematics in 2023 was slightly less than growth in 2022.
• In both ELA and mathematics, growth remained above pre-pandemic levels (i.e.,
• This increase in rates of learning led to some groups closing the gap and slowly
catching up with pre-pandemic levels of achievement.
• We are in the process of compiling results across the numerous states with whom
the Center works. Thus far, New Hampshire appears to be performing better than
many of the states in terms of accelerating student learning and, in turn, helping
students recover.
About this copy
COVID-19 Impact & Recovery in New Hampshire — New Hampshire Department of Education, October 10, 2023.
This is an image-based copy of the original Keynote slides; builds and animations are flattened.