Educators and administrators across the country are facing higher rates of learning loss than ever before due to the destabilizing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education.
With millions of students slipping further and further behind in math and reading competency, school districts are increasingly prioritizing strategies to reduce and reverse learning loss.
In this article, we’ll:
- Examine the impact of COVID-19 on learning loss
- Explore how educators can help struggling students catch up
- Reveal why High Dosage Tutoring is gaining a reputation as an essential tool in the fight against pandemic-induced skill losses in math and reading
Learning Loss During COVID-19
The Coronavirus health emergency has had astounding ramifications on people and industries across the globe.
Students and teachers witnessed multiple staggering shifts to their established routines and educational programs that have led to serious short and long-term academic consequences, including accelerated learning loss.
Learning loss refers to knowledge, competency, or skill losses that occur due to prolonged gaps or regular discontinuities in a student’s education.
Learning loss typically presents the largest challenge when students return from summer break, but the frequent school district closures in response to COVID-19 pandemic flare-ups have led to new and troubling trends in learning loss
These concerning shifts to the learning process have led to ongoing discussions regarding viable paths to remedying the negative educational impacts of COVID-19.
How Has COVID-19 Contributed to Learning Loss?
COVID has put our students and educators in a predicament that we tried our best to adapt to, but the truth is: students of all age groups are at a higher risk of making little to no progress when learning at home. This is especially true for students in underserved communities.
Primary school progress in any given year pre-pandemic was estimated to be one-third higher than it has been during COVID. There isn’t yet much available data on how exactly COVID-19 has affected learning loss, but many experts estimate COVID will end up being worse for students’ education than summer break.
But even with the best tech and material resources, quickly adapting to remote learning is no small task — for example, it took nearly two full years for students to make up lost instructional time as a result of Hurricane Katrina. From teachers changing the way they teach to students changing the way they retain information, these shifts cannot be mastered overnight. No matter the access we have to educational tools, many students simply struggle to process information without any in-person instruction.
Learning Loss in Math During COVID
Researchers from the Brookings Institution that examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected student learning discovered, “the math achievement of students in 2020 was about 5 to 10 percentile points lower compared to same-grade students the prior year.” This deficit was attributed to both school closures and the shift towards virtual learning in 2020.
Another study by NWEA’s Center for School and Student Progress found that while all students suffered serious setbacks in math, younger students, students living in poverty, and students from historically marginalized backgrounds all saw steeper skill declines than the average student.
Students in affluent school districts saw a seven-point slide in math skills, from an average of the 71st percentile to the 64th, representing a loss of 7%. But for students attending low-income schools, the consequences of learning loss were even more dire.
The math skills of students living in poverty typically fall around the 35th percentile, (already a far cry from the 71st percentile attained by their wealthier peers) and saw their math competency tumble to the 24th percentile during the 2021 school year, a loss of 11%.
White students fell behind by an average of four months, while black and Latino students lost six months of math skill and competency.
COVID-related learning loss is multifaceted and the solution lies far beyond cookie-cutter approaches.
What Can Educators Do to Help Their Students?
To address math deficiencies that have impacted students across the country, schools must invest in supplemental and personalized learning experiences that go beyond the typical curriculum.
Alternative learning methods that can be employed inside and outside the classroom on a sustained basis and provide students with one-on-one attention, guidance, and support will be crucial tools in the fight to reverse learning loss before it evolves into long-term or irreversible academic struggles.
Fortunately, one form of tutoring checks all of these boxes and more, leading to a boom in popularity amongst school districts seeking to correct course and get their students back on track.
What Is High Dosage Tutoring (HDT)?
High-Dosage Tutoring has a proven track record of reversing learning loss and enhancing academic achievement. Other benefits include:
- Persistent Learning Gains: Students that completed this form of tutoring saw persistent gains in GPA, math test scores, and high school graduation rates
- Rapid Skill Attainment: Students who received this form of tutoring gained as much as two and a half years of math competency in a single academic year
- Accelerated Learning Across Subjects: Intensive math tutoring using HDT strategies has even been demonstrated to improve test scores and course grades in non-math subjects
High-Dosage Tutoring (HDT) is defined as a tutoring system that provides one-on-one or very small group education 3-5 days a week.
In addition to the high frequency of the sessions, students receive personalized instruction tailored to their needs allowing them to stay on track with their grade-level curriculum.
HDT is a well-founded technique that educators can leverage in the push to accelerate learning and resolve unfinished learning.
HDT is also uniquely suited to addressing COVID-related learning loss because it emphasizes intensive instruction to stimulate academic progress as rapidly as possible.
3 Ways High Dosage Tutoring Can Reduce Pandemic Learning Loss
HDT was designed to be a supplemental educational tool that can be seamlessly integrated into daily classroom activity, extending access to specialized support and tutoring to marginalized and low-income students that need it most. Accelerating student learning with high dosage tutoring has countless benefits that all positively affect one another, but let’s discuss just three.
1. Boost Learning Regardless of Skill Level — Up to 3x Faster
A pivotal benefit of High Dosage Tutoring is that it’s intended for all students; unlike many tutoring strategies, HDT is not a purely remedial tool.
Because HDT is not a purely remedial tool like most tutoring strategies, it can augment learning regardless of competency or skill level. This makes HDT far more versatile and useful than many other tutoring philosophies that prioritize remedial support.
After extensive study, researchers from the University of Chicago found that “By providing personalized instruction and coordinating closely with teachers, students, and families, tutors were able to complement in-classroom learning and help students progress two to three times faster than their peers.”
2. When Implementing High Dosage Tutoring, Math Learning Benefits Most
High dosage tutoring research from that same University of Chicago study observed impressive learning gains, especially in math. This study revealed compelling evidence of the accelerated learning that High-Dosage Tutoring can provide. Intensive math tutoring is proven to have positive effects on other subjects as well, implying students who receive HDT in math feel a boost in motivation for learning in general.
Algebra 1 is the most frequently failed course, and 80% of students cite course failure as the top reason they drop out of high school. When asking “Why is math tutoring in high dosages effective?” the answer is simple — it directly helps prevent high schoolers from dropping out.
“By providing personalized instruction … tutors were able to complement in-classroom learning and help students progress two to three times faster than their peers.” — University of Chicago, Education Lab
3. Trained, High-quality Instructors Maximize Learning Outputs
High-Dosage Tutoring, when executed correctly, also alleviates the major downfalls of traditional tutoring. For example, one of the core principles of student success is learning from a high-quality instructor.
Traditional tutoring is often left in the hands of peers or volunteers who, despite well-meaning intentions, are not necessarily the ideal instructors for students that need assistance.
HDT protocols require that students be tutored by highly educated and well-vetted educators that have a deep understanding of the educational process, as well as strategies for working with diverse student bodies.
Say ‘Yup’ to Helping Students Succeed in Math Learning with HDT
Yup’s Math learning support system connects students to personalized one-on-one tutoring sessions with the best tutors available. Students can get help whenever and wherever they are — 24/7. When it comes to tutoring cost, high-dose tutoring is also considered a cost-effective method due to the high cost-benefit ratio.
While Yup is an excellent tool for students and schools experiencing remote learning protocols, it is intended for use at all times and for all schools, whether virtual or in-person.
“Any school that is looking for a personalized approach to math instruction should be looking at Yup.” — Drew Karimlou, Instructional Coach
There is a reason students love using Yup’s tutoring services. Yup provides its students with K-12 math material for grades 6-12: from Algebra to Trigonometry, Statistics, and more. Students in any grade level can get instant support at the click or tap of a button.
Because one of the core principles of HDT is personalizing approaches to learning, these one-on-one tutoring sessions are untimed and can last as long as each student needs.
Expert One-on-One Tutoring
Yup tutors are expert education professionals who possess the skills and extensive experience in math to drive student learning.
Yup tutors don’t just give out answers. They guide students to the correct solution.
The vetting process for Yup’s tutors ensures the highest quality of educational support and enhancement. Approximately 95% of applicants do not meet Yup’s extensive standards to join our roster of knowledgeable and caring tutors.
The 5% of applicants that prove themselves to be truly exceptional go through intensive training and receive consistent on-the-job feedback, allowing for improved results over time.
Bringing HDT and Personalized Learning to Your School District
Yup has experience collaborating with school districts around the country to integrate High Dosage Tutoring into their students’ school day and overall curriculum.
And — school funding received via the CARES Act: (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) covers expenditures on Yup’s learning support system, eliminating a handful of tutoring cost concerns.
See what educators from several U.S. school districts are saying about Yup.
Mathematics is a critical subject in which students deserve a better opportunity to learn. Reach out today to schools@yup.com to learn more about bringing Yup to your school or district.
