K-12 Learning Recovery Resource Center

Instructional minutes are only as valuable as what occurs during that time. Don’t resort to adding time to the school day or school year for the sole purpose of improving learning before examining what occurs during the original time allocated for instruction. While adding time can be helpful, more class time (on its own) does not necessarily lead to more learning. Prioritizing class time on high-impact lessons and activities has proven to be much more effective.

With more students behind and class time at a premium, teachers need to be hyper-critical of what they teach and assign—especially now. On average, teachers spend roughly 40% of typical class time on low-impact activities—such as teaching skills that students have already mastered or spending too much time on activities that are unrelated to academic goals or social-emotional development. Teachers who aren’t mindful of their time or what they teach can inadvertently miss opportunities to provide students the instruction they need to advance.

While many teachers have started to eliminate old lessons that don’t appear to serve students, their process of doing so is often inconsistent and not always effective. Districts will need to provide a shared definition and standardized set of criteria to help educators discern what is and is not considered a high-value lesson. By making the district-wide commitment to refocus class time on the lessons that matter, teachers can increase the likelihood that students learn.

To help educators maximize instructional time, EAB developed an interactive, easy-to-use curriculum prioritization tool informed by curriculum experts nationwide, a resource center dedicated to this strategy, and implementation resources for district leaders. Download the resources below to begin this strategy.

• Excel version of the curriculum prioritization tool
• Google Sheets version of the curriculum prioritization tool
• Video tutorial of the curriculum prioritization tool
• Curriculum Prioritization Resource Center

• Prioritization instruction task force sheet
• Sample district implementation plan

Learning recovery initiatives cannot be effective without instructional quality. Research consistently suggests that pairing students with highly effective teachers leads to better learning outcomes, increased learning retention, and more motivated students—regardless of the mode of instruction. But what does quality instruction look like in practice and how can districts scale it?

It turns out that there is a science to effective teaching that can be shared and learned over time. The key is to develop a district-wide shared understanding of high-quality teaching that is grounded in this science. For nearly forty years, research centers across the globe representing diverse fields— including neuroscience, psychology, and child development—have examined how the human brain learns, how reading works, and what gets people motivated. These various research disciplines draw surprisingly similar conclusions on how students learn and what instruction should entail. This collection of scientific insights provides a blueprint for districts that want to enhance teacher efficacy.

District leaders should begin to scale these science-based practices by refocusing professional development opportunities on the science of learning and its practical implications. Our research found that districts that have taken these initiatives noticed dramatic improvements in academic outcomes in the span of a few years. Additionally, because the science of learning has a profound impact on academic outcomes, a small handful of top university teacher programs are beginning to integrate this body of research into course offerings.

But connecting teachers to this body of knowledge doesn’t necessarily mean you will need to start from scratch. EAB has developed several resources to help district leaders start integrating the science of learning into classrooms. If your leadership team is interested in bringing the science of learning to your school community, use the implementation resources below or contact our experts for additional support.

• Ten brain-based instruction tips every educator should use handout
• Science of reading research brief
• Implementing the science of reading educator toolkit
• Teacher training video on science-based feedback strategies

• Science of learning task force planning sheet

High-intensity tutoring programs have the potential to help struggling students advance their skills and gain up to three additional months of learning within 25 sessions. They also tend to be expensive to launch and operate.

But districts don’t necessarily need large discretionary budgets to provide highly effective tutoring. District leaders have found innovative ways to replicate similar high-quality tutoring without the added cost. To do this, districts used two creative strategies. First, they sourced virtual tutor volunteers directly from staff networks. Second, they intentionally strengthened teachers and tutor communication about students’ specific learning needs using hand-off sheets. This ensured that tutors spent more time on students’ underlying skill gaps than on homework.

Whether your district is looking to launch a high-quality tutoring program for the first time or is interested in enhancing the efficacy of your existing tutoring services, the resources below are designed to help your district at each stage. Download the toolkit and corresponding task force planning sheet to get started.

• Scaling virtual skills-based tutoring toolkit
• Teacher-to-tutor hand-off sheet
• Tutor-to-teacher hand-off sheet

• Virtual skills-based tutoring task force planning sheet

• Implement Project Based Learning to Promote Student Engagement
• Engage All Students Through Universal Design for Learning and Other Inclusive Practices
• Scale Student Engagement Strategies Across a District
• Design Advisory Programs to Boost Student and Teacher Engagement
• Motivate Disengaged Students Video
• Supporting Students with a History of Trauma Toolkit
• Managing Mental Health in K-12 Schools Leadership Guide
• Tackling the Student Stress Dilemma Toolkit
• Managing Behavior Disruptions in Early Grades Audit
• Build a Sustainable Social Emotional Strategy Toolkit
• Implement Advanced Course Limits to Combat Student Stress

• Improve Mathematical Understanding Through Cognitively Guided Math Instruction
• Explore Outcomes for Student-Centered Math Instruction in High School
• Review Implementation Guidance for Student-Centered Math Reforms in High School
• Measure Student Readiness to Enroll in Algebra I Prior to High School
• Implement Math 180 Intervention for Middle School Students
• Increase Equity in Accelerated Math Pathways
• Promote Algebra I Student Success

• Boost Kindergarten and Sixth Grade Readiness Through Summer Programs
• Design a Summer Reading Camp: Improve Student Recruitment and Retention in Summer Programs
• Understand Summer Accelerated Instruction Programs in Texas

• Explore Paraprofessional Service Delivery Models from High-Performing Districts
• Promote Inclusive Classrooms for Special Education Students
• Support English Language Learners in Low-Incidence Districts

• Delay School Start Times to Improve Student Health, Safety, and Academic Achievement
• Design Middle School Schedules to Reduce Student Stress and Increase High-Quality Instructional Time
• Learn the Potential Impacts of Adopting Year-Round Calendars

• Explore Integrated Academic Support Models
• Navigate Multiage Classroom Models in Elementary Schools