In addition to inferior learning outcomes, remote learning is exacerbating educational inequalities.

Teachers working in poorer schools found virtual classes to be especially ineffective, rating it 3.5 out of 10. In contrast, teachers in private schools averaged a rating of 6.2. Resources make a difference—teachers in wealthy and private schools were also more likely to report that their students were well equipped with internet access and the devices required for remote learning, leading to higher engagement.

Economic status matters: wealthier families not only send their offspring to better-equipped schools, but they themselves have greater resources and offer a more conducive learning environment. Teachers in schools where more than 80 percent of students live in households under the poverty line reported an average of 2.5 months of learning loss, compared with a reported loss of 1.6 months in schools where more than 80 percent of students live in households above the poverty line.