ESSER funds presented school districts with an opportunity—and a challenge—to invest in COVID recovery and redesign. The deadline is approaching, but district leaders still have time to make the most of this funding and transform the way we use resources in our schools.
Drawing on decades of research, takeaways from our work in districts, and insights from other organizations and experts in the field, we’ve developed concrete guidance for district leaders looking to invest ESSER funds in high-impact priority areas.
These nine strategy guides explore relevant research, highlight opportunities for sustainable investments, make priority recommendations, and provide concrete examples from districts already doing this work. Developed with a "Do Now, Build Toward" mindset, these guides will support district leaders in addressing urgent student needs now by choosing doable starting points and designing changes with a sustainable long-term vision in mind.
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High-Dosage Tutoring Elementary & HS Many districts are positioning tutoring as a key investment in their COVID-relief plans to combat learning loss. Research shows that effective tutoring programs have a high ROI and can move the needle quickly on student outcomes. See how to implement high-dosage tutoring in your district. |
Prof. Learning & Collaboration Elementary & HS Professional learning and collaboration for educators is foundational to successfully and sustainably implementing most other improvement strategies. This school year and beyond will be shaped by the capacity of educators. See how you can build capacity in your district with our guide. |
Social-Emotional Supports Elementary Guide Building strong relationships and supports is more important now than ever, as many students are returning to school with trauma caused by the pandemic. Stimulus funds give district and school leaders the opportunity to respond to these intensified needs. See our guide to learn how to build strong relationships. |
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Small Group Instruction Elementary Guide Pre-pandemic, small group instruction was often used to provide Tier 2 and 3 supports, but right now it's an important component in supporting all students to access grade-level Tier 1 instruction. This guide will support districts in investing for both traditional intervention and small group instruction. |
Credit Recovery High School Guide The impact of COVID-19 on high school students and their families has led to high rates of absenteeism and course failure. District leaders must rethink the way they approach credit recovery models to account for these acute and widespread needs. See how this can work in your district. |
Academic Supports High School Guide An increasing number of high school students need more academic supports. This guide reveals how to provide additional instructional time and targeted attention for students who require more intensive support to address gaps in foundational skills needed for accessing Tier 1 instruction. |
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Early Warning Systems High School Guide Districts across the country are implementing a growing practice called Early Warning Systems that can predict high school students who need additional supports toward graduation. With intensified needs caused by the pandemic, systems are more important now than ever. See how to use these systems in your district. |
Strong Relationships High School Guide Students are returning to school with unprecented social and emotional needs due to the pandemic. Schools will need to strengthen relationships through advisory and schedule for lower teacher loads to build capacity for educators to connect with students who need additional attention. See how. |
Postsecondary Opportunities High School Guide Many school districts are implementing unique pathways and opportunities that respond to their students’ and communities' needs, resulting in meaningful and relevant college and career opportunities for students' future success. See how in our new guide on postsecondary opportunities. |
| HOW ELEMENTARY NEEDS TO LOOK DIFFERENT | HOW HIGH SCHOOLS NEED TO LOOK DIFFERENT |
Learn More About Our Process for Creating These ESSER Guides
To create this series, we first identified eight (and recently a ninth) priority topics based on feedback from districts across the country about the reopening challenges they're grappling with. Then, by drawing on decades of research, takeaways from our work in districts, and insights from other organizations and experts in the field, we worked to develop concrete guidance for organizing resources in the context of ESSER funding. We kept three main criteria in mind:
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As you use these guides to weigh the possible tradeoffs associated with different approaches, facilitate decision-making about how to organize resources, and plan for evolving and scaling your approaches over time, we encourage you to adapt these guides to meet your district or school’s own unique needs and context. For help navigating your “Do Now, Build Toward” approach, contact us.
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