Abstract
In recent decades, an increasing number of students have pursued alternative educational options, including charter schools, as school choice has continued to expand. This trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is well established that students experienced widespread learning loss during the pandemic, it remains unclear whether the extent of that loss or the pace of recovery has differed between charter and traditional public schools (TPS). In the current study, we examine the effects of Tennessee charter schools on student achievement during and after the pandemic. Using student-level data from 2017-18 to 2022-23, we estimate the charter school effect using propensity score inverse probability weighting. Results show that charter school and TPS students performed comparably during the pandemic in 2020-21. Post-pandemic, in 2021-22 and 2022-23, charter school students demonstrate greater academic growth. This growth was driven primarily by schools in the broader Nashville region and in elementary and middle schools. The findings of this study suggest lessons can be learned from Tennessee charter schools on learning loss recovery.
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
6-2025
Repository Citation
Kho, Adam; Smith, Shelby; and Zimmer, Ron, "From Disruption to Recovery: Charter School Performance During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2025). Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications. 6.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/msppa_facpub/6
