This study provides new evidence on the short - and long - term effects of COVID - 19 school closures on children’s human capital. Using data from the 2017 - 202 4 Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey and newly assembled data on grade - specific regional school closures , difference - in - differences estimates show that school closures reduced children’s academic performance as well as various enrichment activities in the short run . While we do not observe substitutions toward independent study during school closures , we find evidence of family investment mitigating l ost public educational inputs , including larger parental time spent with children, increases in childcare provided by non - household relatives and non - relatives, as well as higher private education spending . Ex tending the analysis to longer - run outcomes, we examine whether exposed cohorts experienced persistent changes in educational progression, including school dropout, academic performance, and postsecondary transition. Our findings highlight that the costs o f school closures in Russia extended beyond lost classroom instruction and affected broader processes of human capital formation.