For Immediate Release: June 28, 2024
Contact: communications@doe.virginia.gov
Todd.Reid@doe.virginia.gov
Richmond, Va. – The Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University have highlighted Virginia’s efforts in addressing learning loss recovery and expanding tutoring programs throughout the Commonwealth in their recent report studying the effectiveness of targeted academic interventions in helping students recover academically from the pandemic’s academic fallout.
“We’re glad to see Dr. Kane and the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University acknowledge the importance of the decisions Governor Youngkin and state policymakers made to go ALL In on helping Virginia’s students recover from pandemic learning loss,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons.
“Every school division in the Commonwealth has a focused plan and has been given the resources to provide their at-risk students with high-intensity academic tutoring in reading and math. We include parents in these discussions to keep them informed and aware of their student’s performance so they know if they need support, and we’ve created new parent reports so that parents can see their child’s progress throughout the year,” said Dr. Coons. “Governor Youngkin’s creation of Learning Acceleration Grants gave parents the opportunity to take advantage of thousands of hours in tutoring and therapy opportunities designed especially for their child. We have also worked shoulder-to-shoulder with school divisions and the Governor’s Chronic Absenteeism Task Force to help get kids in all grades back into the classrooms where they belong.”
“As we analyze the data for this past school year throughout the summer, we remain hopeful that we have halted the learning loss Virginia’s students suffered from being kept out of school longer than almost any other students in the nation during the pandemic,” said Dr. Coons. “We believe these decisions and the hard work being put in by teachers, tutors, and school leaders are going to help our students recover and get ahead in these critical areas.”
In September 2023, Governor Youngkin signed HB 6001/SB 6001, which provided $418 million for learning loss recovery and implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act. Governor Youngkin recommended that school divisions focus on an “ALL In” approach of Grade 3-8 high-intensity tutoring, concentrate on combatting chronic absenteeism, and accelerate their preparations for this fall’s Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). Spending plans that outline how funds would be used were submitted by each school division.
The report released highlights Virginia’s focused, evidence-based academic recovery efforts, specifically the Commonwealth’s expansive high-intensity academic tutoring programs.
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