From the IES Director: Introducing Operation Reverse the Loss
In a recent blog, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Director Mark Schneider discusses the education crisis due to COVID-19 and presents preliminary ideas for a new initiative with the working title of Operation Reverse the Loss. This effort aims to speed up the mechanisms IES uses to identify, scale, and verify the effectiveness of interventions that show promise in reversing learning loss for students at greatest risk.
Core components of Operation Reverse the Loss:
- Understand conditions on the ground by conducting School Pulse surveys modeled after the U.S. Census.
- Encourage small businesses to provide schools with innovative learning solutions by releasing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications in early December.
- Grow the body of research with the greatest potential to reverse learning loss by focusing substantial funding on a few instructional practices with the strongest claims to effectiveness. An “off-cycle” RFA will systematically support rapid testing of interventions likely requiring researchers to increase their use of platforms and other tech-based delivery systems for rapid-cycle, targeted tests, and replications of interventions.
IES will reposition as much money and resources as possible from the existing budget and will seek additional resources to support Operation Reverse the Loss.
Please email Dr. Mark Schneider with your reactions and suggestions: mark.schneider@ed.gov
Read the complete blog here: Introducing Operation Reverse the Loss, by Mark Schneider, Director of IES, October 26, 2020.
