Broad Coalition Offers Five Proposals to Provide Proven Tool to Combat
Pandemic Learning Loss
NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 1, 2023) – A broad coalition of leaders from education, business, and nonprofit organizations are urging New York State lawmakers to properly invest in high-impact tutoring (HIT). HIT has been a proven intervention method to ease the learning lost during the years of the pandemic.
Governor Hochul included an allocation for HIT in her executive budget proposal and connected the funding to foundation aid. Both the New York Assembly and Senate eliminated the proposal in hopes of it being included as a future allocation separate from the public schools foundation aid pool.
In a memo, the organizations note that, “If New York’s legislative bodies oppose the use of Foundation Aid for HIT, it is absolutely essential they identify creative funding opportunities elsewhere to support these highly effective recovery programs. Eliminating the budget proposal and not creating a HIT designated fund means failing to provide students with the support they need to excel in the classroom.”
The memo offers five recommendations to facilitate HIT programming across its state:
- Expand existing learning loss infrastructure, such as the federal NYGear Up program
- Create an additional grant program to support the implementation and expansion of HIT programs throughout New York
- Encourage the immediate use of federal covid relief funds to develop and grow HIT programs
- Tie funding eligibility to fidelity with evidence-based guardrails, such as: consistent and high-quality tutors, data-driven decision making, scheduling during normal school hours, and grade-level curriculums aligned with state standards
- Support programming with quality and well-trained personnel – including tutors, program coordinators, and/or consultants.
“We can’t let more time go by and not invest in the futures of our students across the state. Needless to say, the evidence is here, students need more support and resources to attain education equity and success. In New York alone, students, primarily those from historically marginalized communities, are lagging in proficiency levels for math. High impact tutoring is just one beneficial way we combat the learning losses of our students and support their educational trajectory. We applaud our affiliate state chapters of Colorado, Louisiana and Washington DC, who have realized the importance of this strong initiative,” said Jacquelyn Martell, Executive Director of Education Reform Now New York.
The organizations that signed on to the memo, organized by Education Reform Now New York include:
- Education Reform Now New York, along with their national affiliate
- The Business Council of New York State
- The Black, Latinx, and Asian Charter Collaborative
- The Education Trust New York
- The Hispanic Federation
- Ibero American Action League
- Rochester Education Fellowship
- Students First New York
- National Parents Union of New York
- New York Charter Schools Association
- We the Parents of WNY
“Families like myself have seen the opportunity gap widen, especially for Black and Brown children. I had no choice but to find outside tutoring for my first grade daughter. It’s alarming how much state funding could be invested in high impact tutoring. Families shouldn’t have to worry about paying thousands of dollars out of pocket when districts have the ability to invest aid,” said Ashara Baker, New York State Director of the National Parents Union.
“Studies show that students may not be back to their levels of proficiency until 2028 due to the academic loss they’ve experienced. We need to make clear and defined strides to make sure students in the Bronx and across the state of New York are not left behind and the tools they need to academically advance in their future endeavors. High impact tutoring needs to be seen as a long term investment for our students,” said Assembly Member George Alvarez.
“Resource equity is a must when we discuss the futures of our students. It’s clear that our students are still hurting post-pandemic in their academics and we must bridge the gap in order for them to attain the support they need to advance in their education. By following the guardrails and evidence-based data that different states have used when initiating high impact tutoring, we are making all of our children’s education a priority,” said Assembly Member Brian Cunningham.
“The pandemic left tremendous academic challenges to so many Black and Brown students, who are still struggling to get back on track. That’s why I am committed to advancing and supporting high impact tutoring. This intervention has a proven track record and is a powerful tool to help the students in my district and other underserved communities achieve a better future,” said Assembly Member Manny de los Santos.
“The diverse students of New York are among the most brilliant in the nation, yet, we continue to lag behind the nation in proficiency in both literacy and mathematics. High dosage tutoring has a strong evidence base that shows increases in learning outcomes. When high dosage tutoring is available to students across our state, we can accelerate student learning and narrow the gaps widened by interrupted instruction,” said Dia Bryant, Ed.L.D. Executive Director of The Education Trust New York.
“One of the main focuses in New York state is workforce development and we have to ensure that we are doing our students justice in the K-12 spaces in preparing them for the opportunities that are being created. When we talk about bringing programs to schools and options after high school – be it a four year degree, micro-credentials or apprenticeship programs – we have to also talk about how we can make sure that students are equipped for these options and for success. That looks like our students being able to read, write and do math at their grade levels and better. High impact tutoring is necessary. It is a must. The pandemic has affected all our students across all racial groups. We have to give the same efforts – if not more – while they are in school so that they can succeed in the workforce,” said Crystal Griffith, Director of Workforce Development and Education for the Business Council of New York State.
“We have seen again and again that tutoring and one-on-one instruction moves the needle for high-need learners. In the wake of the pandemic, which disproportionately impacted the education of low-income students, English Language Learners, and Students with IEPs, this intervention is more crucial than ever,” said Arthur Samuels & Pagee Cheung, Co-Founders & Co-Executive Directors of MESA Charter High School.
####
ERN New York (ERN-NY) advocates for equitable and evidence-based policy at local and state levels. Currently, the organization is focused on achieving a more diverse representation in New York’s teacher workforce, equitable facilities funding, and maintaining academic assessments and accountability. ERN-NY is working to expand understanding and action so that all families may receive equal access to quality education.