Corona measures: 'double jeopardy' for reading performance of target group students in primary education?

Various measures had been taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns of education. This research examined the performance in reading comprehension in the periods before and during the lockdowns and the restart of education. The target group consisted of students from groups 6 and 8 in regular primary education and school leavers in special primary education (SBO). The researchers wanted to know whether the impact of the measures was different for target group students compared to non-target group students. This generally turned out not to be the case: in group 6 and in the SBO, there was no difference in growth between students in the periods surrounding the school closures, depending on the educational level of the parents or a migration background. However, in group 8, students with a Western migration background experienced stronger learning growth than students without a migration background. The quality and quantity of distance learning, other school characteristics, and parental support appeared to be related to these differences.