Navigating the Biden Administration's Education Agenda

Navigating the Biden Administration’s Education Agenda

The president’s “Improving Student Achievement Agenda” aims to enhance education through focused efforts on absenteeism, tutoring, and extended learning. Here are three suggestions for how to align your district with those priorities, offering tangible paths to enrich student experiences and achievements.

It’s no secret that declining student achievement is a pressing issue facing educators and students, and, really, the entire nation. Everyone from the Washington Post to the next-door neighbor with a struggling student at home is talking about our literacy and mathematics crisis. National movements, like the science of reading, and individual states and districts are desperately attempting to provide a solution.

Recently, the Biden administration threw its hat in the ring to try and help. EdWeek reports, “U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden announced… the administration’s new ‘Improving Student Achievement Agenda’ at a White House event with governors and state education leaders.”

This initiative targets three issues impeding student achievement: addressing absenteeism, enhancing tutoring, and extending learning opportunities after school and over the summer. Although no new funding grant or opportunity exists, the administration is asking districts to align their Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) spending accordingly.

School administrators are now tasked with a significant responsibility: leveraging these funds to not only meet federal directives but also to truly enrich their students’ educational experiences. Here’s an overview of the three-pronged approach the Biden administration has put forth — and a few ideas for how Imagine Learning can help.

Addressing Absenteeism Through Engagement

Between 25% and 30% of students were chronically absent in 2023, down only slightly from the previous year. Absenteeism is a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all solution. It requires a multifaceted approach, particularly focusing on family engagement and support.

Implementing programs that excite and engage students can also help. Studies show that 96% of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students graduate from high school and that high-risk students enrolled in a CTE program are eight to ten times less likely to drop out in grades 11–12.

Imagine Learning provides eDynamic learning elective courses and CTE pathways to more than 80,000 students nationwide. These courses offer students flexible learning online or in a hybrid model, giving students agency and an alternative path to graduation. By empowering students with choices that fit their unique circumstances and learning styles, educators can foster ownership and motivation toward their education.

Providing High-Dosage Tutoring Online

The Biden administration’s push for tutoring reflects the critical role it plays in student achievement. High-dosage tutoring, in particular, has been identified as a powerful tool in addressing learning gaps. Finding the staff to provide those much-needed one-on-one or small-group hours is a difficult task, especially given the nationwide teacher shortage.

Imagine School Services is the human branch of our company, providing real-life, caring, high-quality online educators. Students enrolled in Imagine Edgenuity’s online courses can access on-demand, one-on-one tutoring. This dual support system ensures students receive the focused help they need within the course and the option for individualized attention, making it a comprehensive solution to bolster academic success. We also offer Small Group Targeted Instruction. Schools identify students with similar educational needs and skill gaps, and we provide focused instruction for students online with a qualified interventionist. It’s an innovative solution for students in understaffed regions.

Extending Learning with Research-Proven, Personalized Tools

Extended learning opportunities, including over the summer, are essential for mitigating learning loss and preparing students for future success. There’s just no way to close large learning gaps without extending the hours students spend, well, learning. Our “Summer of Yes” initiative exemplifies how summer and extended learning programs can be designed to be both enriching and remedial, providing students with the skills they need to excel in the upcoming school year.

The key to effectively using ESSA funds for extended learning is selecting evidence-based programs aligned with the Biden administration’s educational priorities. Imagine Learning’s offerings are grounded in research and proven to support student achievement, making them an excellent choice for administrators. In particular, our suite of supplemental digital programs allows students to access personalized instruction anywhere, anytime: after school, at home, over the summer, and on vacation. The best part? They’re proven to work.

1.8x

Imagine Language & Literacy students at three districts across Texas achieved 1.8x greater growth on a standardized assessment compared to non-participating peers.

68.9%

of Imagine MyPath students in Stratford Independent School District exceeded yearly growth expectations on the MAP Growth™ reading and math assessments during the 2020–2021 school year.

108Q

Overall average annual Quantile growth for Imagine Math students in a 2021–2022 national analysis.

As education continues to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, administrators play a crucial role in shaping the future of learning. By thoughtfully leveraging ESSA funds in line with the Biden administration’s educational initiative, schools can provide students with the support, engagement, and opportunities they need to succeed. Through strategic investment in programs that address absenteeism, enhance tutoring, and extend learning opportunities, administrators can ensure that their schools not only meet the expectations set forth by the Biden administration but also set a new standard for educational excellence.

Imagine Learning is dedicated to partnering with educators in this journey, offering scalable, research-backed solutions that address the immediate needs of today’s students while laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s achievements.