Learning loss due to COVID-19 and the digital divide will have dire consequences for low-income students. This study used the Faucet Theory (Alexander et al., 2001) as a theoretical framework to determine the extent that the COVID-19 learning environment impacted the Southern Public Schools District's African American, low-income, and high-income high school students' proficiency level based on the Algebra I section of the 2020-2021 Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) assessment. The researcher used archival data from the LEAP, a causal-comparative research design, and a one-way ANOVA to test the hypotheses and answer the research question. The results of the one-way ANOVA indicated that the pre-COVID-19 learning environment had no impact on African American, high-income, and low-income high school students' average percentages at the mastery and basic proficiency levels, but it had a moderately negative impact on students' average percentages at the approaching basic (p = 0.038) and unsatisfactory (p = 0.021) proficiency levels. The COVID-19 learning environment had no impact on African American, high-income, and low-income high school students' average percentages at the advanced and basic proficiency levels, but it had a strong negative impact on African American, high-income, and low-income high school students' average percentages at the mastery (p = 0.006), approaching basic (p =0.007), and unsatisfactory (p = 0.008) proficiency levels. This study will give additional insights into COVID-19's impact on the student achievement of a populace most susceptible to learning loss, high school students in a high-poverty school district. It will add to the current knowledge base on high-poverty school districts, distance education, learning loss, the digital divide, and student achievement in mathematics. The results showed that the COVID-19 learning environment widened the achievement gap between high and low income students and increased learning loss for students from specific backgrounds--African-American students and students in low-income households. This study is important because the researcher found that regardless of race or socioeconomic status, a blended teaching methodology of problem solving, individualized tutoring, game-based interaction, and computer assisted practice could significantly increase learning gains in mathematics, especially in cognitive areas. In fact, a blended learning environment could benefit low-performing students more than high-performing students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]