New National Effort to Research and Scale Tech-Supported Learning Acceleration Approaches

Posted on October 22, 2024

Network and grants will speed up adoption of virtually supported, instructional innovations that accelerate learning.

October 22, 2024 — Districts and systems across the United States face declines in ESSER funding and persistent, widespread unfinished learning. The Learning Accelerator (TLA), a national nonprofit, is teaming up with a network of technology, school system, and research partners to better understand and scale innovative learning acceleration approaches to address those challenges and improve outcomes for kids.

Today, The Learning Accelerator is announcing a new network of 10 teams who will work with TLA and research partner, Mathematica, to advance adoption and develop evidence at scale of hybrid and virtual learning strategies with demonstrated early-stage impact. A key component of the organization’s Exponential Learning Initiative, teams are receiving unrestricted grants, rigorous evaluation, and networked support during the 2024-25 school year.

“Efforts to address unfinished learning have primarily focused on adding tutoring support around existing teaching and learning structures. As we enter this next phase of national response, it’s critical we look towards expanding our toolkit to include models that accelerate learning at the center of the student experience and that leverage technology effectively to improve quality, consistency, and sustainability,” says TLA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Beth Rabbitt. “It’s also clear that we need to generate rigorous qualitative and quantitative evidence as we go to inform present and future implementations. We believe these initial grantees will be strong partners in helping us better understand what’s working and what’s not, for whom, and under which conditions.”

TLA has selected 10 exceptional hybrid and virtual learning strategies and models that produce accelerated learning through core change for $150,000 unrestricted grants. Grantees in this first wave of the Initiative include ASU Preparatory Academy, Building 21, Coursemojo, LEAP Innovations, Lab School of Memphis, Magpie Literacy, PowerMyLearning, Rock by Rock, and the University of Kentucky Center for Next Generation Leadership.

“Magpie is on a multiyear journey to unlock the great reader in all students through the creation of our nation’s first K-8 comprehensive, research-backed digital literacy platform,” says Leo Bialis-White, Chief Strategy Officer, Magpie Literacy. “This year, alongside TLA and a cohort of innovators, we are taking a meaningful leap toward that vision by bolstering scale and efficacy efforts to launch truly instructionally precise tools that align to the needs of K-12 classrooms across the country.”

“I’m personally excited about how this selected cohort will broaden understanding of the many levers educators can use to address equity gaps and advance towards future models of instruction,” added Rabbitt. “From supporting personalization with high-quality curricular implementation, to exploring wholly new models of engagement, we are positioned to learn a lot about how we can unlock the potential of every learner.”

Acceleration strategies include AI-powered project-based learning tools, assistant teachers for differentiated ELA instruction, and a math practice platform. Grant-funded approaches also include cognitive assessment-based online personalized instructional strategies and math practice tools, in addition to dual credit and microschool models.

“We're really excited to scale our AI-powered math tool, Digit, for Algebra 1 students, designed to give teachers useful data to help them make quick decisions that can really boost student learning, says Megan Grothman, Director of Arizona Impact, ASU Prep Academy. “The networked learning opportunity excites us as well, as it offers a unique platform to exchange insights on scaling and implementing research-driven educational technology across diverse classrooms.”

Another grantee focused on deep literacy development echoed excitement about the investment in digitally-supported learning acceleration approaches. “The catalytic support for Rock by Rock’s online library of project-based learning experiences with teacher training came at a crucial time,” says founder Jeff Imrich. “In our rapidly changing world, we need to work together to help all learners build the voice, agency, confidence, and skills they need to thrive.”

In addition to establishing this catalyzing network fund, TLA will also seek to deepen and validate the evidence and knowledge base for academic quality in virtually supported learning in existing scaled models nationwide. Simultaneously, TLA and partners will develop a research and policy agenda, ultimately providing a roadmap for how states can generate more learner-centered policies and practices while also planning for more flexible learning models for the future.

This Initiative builds on work TLA, with the support of the Walton Family Foundation, undertook over the past two years to explore and demonstrate how virtual and hybrid models can advance and scale high-quality, customized experiences to create greater equity and opportunity for learners.

About The Learning Accelerator

The Learning Accelerator (TLA) is building an education field where everyone learns faster and changes systems together to ensure every child reaches their unique potential. Our mission is to accelerate individual, organizational, and sector learning to transform K-12 education. Drawing on over a decade of impact, TLA is a national nonprofit that works across the education sector to help practitioners, leaders, technologists, and policy-makers learn faster from success and innovation and apply that knowledge to improve how we are educating students.

Media Contact

Lacey Gonzales, Associate Director, Communications, The Learning Accelerator: [email protected]