Educators, administrators, and parents across the country are committed to closing the learning loss gap—an unfortunate trend that’s been exasperated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now referred to as the “COVID slide,” both private and public institutions are diligently focused on creating high-quality education solutions that help students catch up and stay engaged.
Some schools fared better than others in this endeavor, according to a new study. In particular, K12 online schools powered by Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN)—reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. And in some cases, students enrolled in Stride K12-powered schools experienced learning gains.
“Amid this unprecedented time, students at schools powered by Stride K12 were more likely to maintain their achievement level in both reading and mathematics than they were to slide backward,” said Jeanna Pignatiello, Stride’s Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer. “The study’s findings highlight an important fact: experienced online learning providers offer the teachers, resources, and specialized support students need to succeed.”
For its respective study, internal researchers at Stride used methodology identified in a similar study conducted by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA): one of the country’s most trusted organizations dedicated to student performance research.
The study concluded that most students in Stride K12-powered schools identified as “Maintainers,” which means they did not experience significant learning loss or experience better than anticipated gains in learning. Learning progressed as normal for these students. Additionally, students enrolled in schools powered by Stride’s K12 programs significantly outperformed in reducing the percentage of students that saw a decrease in their achievement level compared to the NWEA national sample—which included nearly 4.5 million U.S. students.
More specifically, the percentage point difference between the national sample and Stride is particularly jarring with differences between the two groups ranging from 7.8 to 27.7 percentage points in mathematics and 1.7 to 12.7 percentage points in reading. This means that schools powered by Stride K12 have not only been more successful in reducing learning loss during the pandemic, but they are also more successful in helping students maintain and even make learning gains.
Driven by the dedicated wraparound support services available to all students enrolled at Stride K12-powered schools, student engagement remains strong during the pandemic, the study indicates.
For more information about Stride, Inc., please visit www.stridelearning.com.
About Stride, Inc.
At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) we are reimagining learning – where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed the teaching and learning experience for millions of people by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and post-secondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, destinationsacademy.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.
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