Many students, particularly those most affected by educational disparities, are still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels of academic performance.
Many students, particularly those most affected by educational disparities, are still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels of academic performance.
The United States Department of Education has allocated $277 million in grants through the Education Innovation and Research program. This is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to address academic recovery and support student success in math and reading.
Recent state-administered test scores from the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years indicate a partial rebound from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, according to a government press statement.
However, the recovery is uneven, with many students, particularly those most affected by educational disparities, still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels.
The newly announced grants aim to bridge these gaps, allocating $90.3 million for STEM, $87.2 million for social-emotional well-being, including student engagement, and $76.5 million for projects in rural areas.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed enthusiasm about the impact of the grant awards.
“This funding will support some of the nation’s most promising initiatives to elevate academic recovery, excellence, and equity in education,” Cardona said.
The Education Innovation and Research Program, established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, aims to fund innovative solutions to enhance student achievement, particularly for high-need students.
The program supports the creation, implementation, replication, and scaling of evidence-based initiatives while emphasizing rigorous evaluation.
There are three grant types, namely “Early-phase,” “Mid-phase,” and “Expansion,” each with varying requirements for evidence of effectiveness, expectations for project outcomes, and funding levels. These grants aim to address persistent educational challenges and expand effective solutions to benefit a larger number of students.
A total of 45 grantees have been selected to advance educational innovation and research, addressing persistent educational opportunity gaps.
The grants coincide with the one-year anniversary of the YOU Belong in STEM initiative, which advocates for equitable, high-quality STEM education for all students from PreK to higher education.
The initiative aims to prepare students for 21st-century career readiness and global competitiveness, regardless of their background.
Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten highlighted the importance of diversity in STEM education, saying, “Diversity is the strength of our nation; it fuels innovation and progress.”
She invited everyone to celebrate the YOU Belong in STEM anniversary and recognize the positive impact of the EIR grantees on shaping the future of education.
The 2023 cohort of EIR grantees represents diverse approaches to advancing academic excellence, student engagement, social and emotional development, and global engagement.
Over $100 million in grants are designated for strategies supporting success in math and reading.
Highlighted projects include The Concord Consortium’s initiative to integrate artificial intelligence education, the Education Development Center’s project to enhance mathematics outcomes in high-need schools, WestEd’s program to address disciplinary literacy and foundational reading skills, Unbounded Learning, Inc.’s Reading Reimagined project, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s PRISM project to improve math outcomes for high-need students.
Over a million international students studied at U.S. colleges and universities in the 2022-23 academic year, marking a significant milestone since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual Open Doors Report recently released by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education.
The report also offered insights into American students’ participation in study abroad programs for the 2021-22 academic year.
