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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of many people, especially our country’s most disadvantaged children. For the first time, school systems were forced to adapt to a distance learning model. Wealthy, technologically advanced communities had a smoother transition to learning than rural, low-income, under-resourced parts of the country that already had teacher shortages and limited or no high-speed internet connections.
The educational impact of this learning shift on school-aged children is well-documented, and the resulting proficiency statistics are alarming. Progress in learning to read has reversed and returned to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics’ national report card states that when comparing 2019 and 2022, scores have consistently declined across reading percentiles, with many returning to their 1992 levels. Masu.
Urgent action is required. Recognizing the nation’s need to improve learning outcomes and sustain the intellectual growth of young students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education is providing funding, known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. We have launched the American Rescue Plan 2023. . In his first two weeks, more than $81 billion was distributed to schools. Since ESSER’s creation, he has awarded $190 billion in awards to K-12 school systems across the United States.
This investment in education is unprecedented, but the deadline for these funds is fast approaching. School systems have until September to allocate and use all carryover funds toward program improvements or risk losing funding, but the federal government recently announced that states can apply for a limited extension. Announced.
Still, many states and school districts are approaching a fiscal cliff. How can school systems, facing this critical deadline, make the most impactful spending decisions in the interests of students to avoid a tragic loss of educational opportunity and student enrichment? Is it possible?
As part of the Biden administration’s Student Achievement Agenda, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cordona will use federal ESSER funds for “high-dose individualized instruction” to give students more support and time to succeed. States and school districts were encouraged to do so. A January 17 White House fact sheet touted the early success of such tutoring, saying, “If done properly, high-volume tutoring can reduce teacher workload and leverage math and literacy skills.” It can complement other school-based activities such as capacity-building for educators.” Research shows that coaches improve student academic and professional development to support data-driven instruction. ”
School administrators and policy leaders can use this opportunity to embrace local school districts and guide them to make the most effective use of ESSER funds while they are still available. This period of funding availability must be carefully managed to evolve the district’s spending policies and practices.
One wise investment is a large amount of tutoring that can produce measurable and significant results. School systems can purchase tutoring sessions for their students from authorized vendors. Tutoring is an old concept, but the current ESSER-funded effort is to address systemic discrimination in public education by providing person-to-person assistance to groups most affected by learning loss. It is also a powerful coping tool and approach.
As we celebrate our historic 70th anniversary in May, Brown v. Board of Education In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, we reflect on the progress made and the milestones yet to be achieved. In this landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled that segregating children in public schools on the basis of race is unconstitutional. Legalized racial segregation in schools was abolished, and the “separate but equal” principle of schooling was nullified. Plessy vs. Ferguson Incident of 1896.
The current climate of political attacks on public education includes the increasing diversion of public education funds into private school vouchers, the elimination of African American history classes, and the state takeover of local school districts. These actions will only exacerbate the cumulative effects of decades of inequitable policies related to the education of African American students.
Given our nation’s tremendous talent needs in a growing and technologically advanced society, we continue our passionate efforts to stop attacks on public education and inequitable policies to improve outcomes for all students. , we must move strategically toward practices that can enhance education. A nation’s ability to maintain global competitiveness.
Although these Esser dollars will eventually disappear, districts should keep in mind steps to shift funding to initiatives that leverage proven outcomes for long-term student success.
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