Public conversations about “screen time” in adolescence often start and end with worry that time online must be stealing attention from school. Our newly published paper asks a different question: What if some of that unstructured time on social media, video games, and general web browsing builds skills that help students do better in school?

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly changed how Americans viewed the importance of broadband Internet connectivity. In a short period of time, a national emergency shifted how and where people accessed work and education, how they interacted with friends and family, and how they spent their time. An inadequate infrastructure for broadband access left rural Americans and particularly rural youth at higher risk.

This study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on home Internet connectivity, student achievement, and adolescent well-being. The focus is on middle and high school students enrolled in rural and small-town schools.