K-12 schools and districts are not the only ones who understand the effectiveness of high-dosage tutoring. The Biden administration recently passed $122.7 billion in funding, referred to as ESSER Funds, to help combat the concern with learning loss for the upcoming school year.
The disruption over the past year due to the pandemic caused huge financial strains on families, schools, businesses, and communities. The education system was forced to revamp without notice, and educators are concerned as to what that will mean for student learning. It seems that now more than ever, teachers will need academic support systems in place in order to stay on track.
The Need for Equitable Aid
Research has shown that high-dosage tutoring can be an extremely effective means of accelerating students’ learning. Unfortunately, this academic support is often not available to students who need it the most.
Private tutoring is a $47 billion dollar industry in the US. In Asia, it is estimated that families spend about 15% of their annual income on supplemental learning. However, not every family has the monetary means to provide this additional resource. To combat this issue, ESSER funding is meant to reduce the learning gap by providing funding to schools specifically to be used for tutoring programs.
Why Peer Tutoring Works
The U.S. Department of Education has reported on the effectiveness of tutoring. Not only does tutoring affect academic success, but is shown to improve students’ soft skills and emotional intelligence. Due to the effects of learning loss, 8% of US high schools in the United States made tutoring a requirement. The numbers consistently show that students who receive tutoring usually have a higher success rate than students who do not.
Yet, there are obstacles when implementing a tutoring program. Aside from heavy costs with hiring tutors, schools are then faced with matching students, scheduling sessions, and basic logistics. These challenges were only magnified during the pandemic.
ESSER Funds and the YTeach Solution
ESSER funding is just another way that schools and districts can provide academic support to a wider range of students. YTeach aims to provide high-impact support and extend teacher’s bandwidth in supporting their students. It develops student leaders, fosters relationships, and encourages life-long learners, while offering equitable aid that is accessible to all families