Chicago Connected eligibility was associated with a slightly lower fall 2020 GPA in the full analytic sample, with no variation by pre-pandemic academic performance¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Program eligibility was associated with a 0.05 point lower fall 2020 GPA in the full analytic sample, and this magnitude did not vary by students' pre-pandemic academic performance. → Schachner 2025

Evidence¶

Schachner 2025¶

Schachner, J.N., Marwell, N.P., de la Torre, M., Gwynne, J.A., & Allensworth, E.M. (2025). How did Chicago Connected broadband access eligibility and participation affect remote learning engagement and achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic? Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1153

q2 · i? · associational · r3

OLS models predicting fall 2020 GPA as a function of eligibility in the full analytic sample of 77,056 students with controls. The estimate was "a slightly lower fall 2020 GPA among the full analytic sample" of -0.05 GPA points, uniform across pre-pandemic performance levels.

"Program eligibility was associated with a slightly lower fall 2020 GPA among the full analytic sample, but the magnitude (-0.05 GPA points) did not vary by students' pre-pandemic academic performance."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Access — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Among eligible students, Chicago Connected participation increased remote learning engagement for high pre-pandemic GPA students but decreased it for low pre-pandemic GPA students — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• About 70% of continuously enrolled grade 5-8 CPS students were eligible for Chicago Connected, and approximately 30% of eligible students opted to participate — related
• Chicago Connected eligibility was associated with higher fall 2020 engagement for high pre-pandemic GPA students but lower engagement for low pre-pandemic GPA students — related
• Chicago Connected participation was associated with higher fall 2020 and spring 2021 GPAs for high pre-pandemic GPA students and lower GPAs for low pre-pandemic GPA students — related
• Differences in engagement and achievement between high- and low-GPA students grew more sharply during the pandemic among Chicago Connected participants than among eligible non-participants — related