By January of this year, the across-the-board learning gaps incurred during the pandemic shutdowns had begun to stabilize, but the public education system still has a long way to go.

According to a report from eSchool News, student achievement at the start of the 2021-22 school year was considered lower than a typical (pre-pandemic) school year, particularly in math.

Unfortunately, these learning gaps have most impacted historically marginalized students and those in high-poverty schools.

Free online tutoring is an excellent standalone support option or a worthy supplement to the student support program your school already has in place.

Here’s a rundown on the many benefits of offering free 24/7 online tutoring at your school.

Enhance educational equity

Research conducted by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) and the University of Virginia notes that since the pandemic began in spring 2020, the educational gap between low-poverty and high-poverty schools has widened by 20% in math scores and 15% in reading scores in the upper elementary grades.

The bulk of this increasing gap occurred in the second part of the pandemic—between fall 2020 and fall 2021—when the test scores in low-poverty schools began to stabilize while those in high-poverty schools continued to slide.

One of the most effective ways of addressing disproportionate learning gaps is through one-on-one tutoring. Unfortunately, seeking out a private tutor is unaffordable for many families.

Granting all students access to tutoring removes the financial barriers to obtaining academic support, allowing students who traditionally lack the resources to hire a private tutor to enjoy the same personalized learning support as their peers.

Address learning loss and opportunity gaps

Without a doubt, learning loss occurred for most students during the pandemic, and the opportunity gaps between students at low-poverty and high-poverty schools increased.

Since schools have reopened, teachers have struggled to bring students up to speed.

As reported by American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), despite a historic amount of funding granted to public schools to help ease the transition back into the classrooms, the pain points of the disruption caused by COVID continue in classrooms across the U.S.

With online tutoring, teachers can supplement classroom instruction and academic support provided via other one-on-one tutoring programs to personalize learning and target specific gaps.

This allows students to learn new skills, hone existing skills, and build on the knowledge they're receiving in the classroom.

Optimize student outcomes

Nearly half of all students participating in a YouthTruth survey reported that feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious makes it hard to do their best in school.

One of the many pressures that can increase feelings of anxiety in the learning environment is the realization that they need help catching up.

Everyone in the educational equation—including parents, school administration, and staff—has a role to play in alleviating these issues as best they can for students. However, this can be difficult, since students are often reluctant to ask for the help they need.

In a OnePoll/TutorMe survey, 60% of participating students stated that it's faster and less stressful to seek help with their studies online.

Online tutoring services like TutorMe reduce the stigma students feel asking for help by providing them with a one-on-one private learning environment.

Approximately 96% of TutorMe users report a boost in their GPA, and these student successes can lead to increased student engagement, retention rates, and graduation rates.

Help students prep for tests

While many colleges and universities waived SAT and ACT scores for admission consideration during the pandemic, as it was extraordinarily challenging for the students to find a test site in some areas, there are signs that these tests will once again be mandatory at many institutions.

Online tutoring services such as TutorMe provide free access to an ACT prep course that includes:

• 10 hours of fully animated and engaging video lessons
• Over 500 practice questions written by verified ACT experts
• Self-paced lessons conveniently available online 24/7

Interactive instruction keep students engaged

Interactive learning experiences help students advance learning beyond the rote memorization of facts and allow them to see practical uses for their knowledge. TutorMe's award-winning Lesson Space provides your students with powerful learning tools, including:

• Virtual whiteboards
• Live audio/video/text chat
• Screen sharing
• Text editor
• Code editor
• Scientific calculator

The Lesson Space replicates the best aspects of in-person instruction and gives tutors and students access to the latest educational technology to reach a deeper understanding of coursework.

Give educators access to actionable student data

Educators are not only expected to implement programs to assist and increase student learning but to validate these programs by showing results. TutorMe's Client Dashboard gives faculty the ability to track student usage and progress, as well as suggested actions to take for those who are struggling the most. Through the Dashboard, faculty can easily review lesson recordings and professionally proofread paper submissions and closely monitor student progress to help optimize instructional design.

Alleviates stress on teachers

The pandemic has been incredibly stressful for educators.

Not only did they face the complexity of teaching students during the shutdown, but they emerged from the shutdown to board meetings filled with angry parents, testing that showed high declines in learning, and a disrupted educational experience for many students.

It's no wonder then that a 2021 National Education Association survey revealed that 32% of U.S. teachers are planning to leave the profession sooner than they had intended before the pandemic began.

Online tutoring programs provide academic support for struggling students before, during, and after school hours, giving teachers the much-needed time and energy to focus on classroom instruction as well as a better work life balance.

Expand your student support ecosystem with online tutoring

Offering 24/7 online tutoring at no cost to students provides equitable access to personalized learning while supporting teachers by bolstering their student support resources. Learn more about how your school can benefit from offering 24/7 high-impact online tutoring.