During the time each week that students spend in the classroom, they develop fundamental academic and social skills – but this time is not always equally effective. Although the district curriculum is extensive and well executed, some students need extra support to really grasp concepts, especially in K-12 districts combatting post-pandemic learning loss and teacher shortages.
Here are some of the most important ways that tutoring helps school districts prepare their students for excellence.
Standardized Testing Preparation
Beyond in-class exams, students are expected to showcase their knowledge in standardized tests. These vary state-to-state, but compare students to their peers in order to identify learning pain points. For school administrators, state testing allows them to identify their student’s proficiency in ELA, math, science, and social studies, as well as any curriculum or instruction gaps every year to better its overall rating.
Results of the most recent standardized tests indicate a need for supplemental tutors. In reading, students were typically three to six percentile points behind, and in math, eight to 12 points behind last year’s average. The largest declines were found amongst younger students, who suffered learning loss during the pandemic. Tutoring can be crucial to the development of students, helping them learn in targeted and individualized ways.
Helps Combat Inequalities in the Classroom
The effects of the pandemic continue to impact the development of K-12 students, but not always fairly. In 2021, NWEA data showed that the pandemic disproportionately widened pre-pandemic test score gaps among Black, Latino, and low-income students. For example, students in majority-Black schools are five months behind in both math and reading on average, while students in majority-White schools are only two-months behind.
Although school is back in session, national chronic absenteeism has risen by 2.7 times since the pandemic. Among high-income school districts, the absentee rate has roughly stayed the same: but low-income districts have seen rates of absenteeism skyrocket. This year, it’s predicted that an additional 1.7 million to 3.3 million 8th – 12th graders will drop out of school.
Luckily, there are ways to reverse this trend: high-impact tutoring can help students become re-engaged in their classwork, motivating them to attend class and come better prepared. Access to support programs, such as expert-aided academic intervention can help close the learning gaps created by the pandemic.
Support for School Budgets
Tutoring is becoming increasingly more important and funding is available. The federal government announced plans to significantly increase spending on K-12 school programs.
Tutoring offers a cost-effective way for schools to support their struggling students, boosting academic performance and helping teachers deliver better results. In turn, this helps districts become more competitive when searching for staff, applying for grants, and allocating funding.
Why Intervene K-12 Tutoring
Intervene K-12 has impacted 30,000+ students resulting in a 79% pass rate in state standardized tests. Our solution offers tutoring for K-12 students and EL support that can supplement the hard work of teachers in the classroom. With high-impact tutoring, through online face-to-face teachers, districts can reinforce learning and improve student outcomes. You can learn more about Intervene K-12 here.