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# Biden-Harris Administration Calls on Colleges, Universities, and Schools to Partner in Addressing K-12 Learning Loss, Announces Initial Cohort of Committed Partners

# Biden-Harris Administration Calls on Colleges, Universities, and Schools to Partner in Addressing K-12 Learning Loss, Announces Initial Cohort of Committed Partners

May 10, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
Today, the U.S. Department of Education released a Dear Colleague Letter calling on colleges, universities, and school districts to work together to use  Federal Work Study (FWS) or other resources to increase the number of college  students supporting school-aged children and youth in our nation’s K-12 schools  and out-of-school time programs.

With this call to action and as a part of its work with  AmeriCorps and Johns Hopkins University through the National Partnership for Student  Success (NPSS), the Department is pleased to announce the first  cohort of 26 early adopter colleges and universities that have committed to  using Federal Work Study or other resources to increase the number of students  working as tutors, mentors, student success coaches, postsecondary transition  coaches, and integrated student support coordinators in other support  roles.

“Our colleges and universities have always been a  driving force in solving America’s greatest challenges; and, today, we’re  calling on these critical institutions to stand up once again by using Federal  Work Study and other dollars to help accelerate learning and recovery in our  K-12 schools,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “I applaud the  26 colleges and universities that are leading the way as early adopters of this  effort by answering the call and partnering with the National Partnership for  Student Success in this work. By serving as tutors and mentors, college  students can make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth, and  ultimately, it is in the best interests of our colleges and universities to  help accelerate academic recovery in our public elementary and secondary  schools. I’m hopeful that this initiative will inspire more college students of  diverse backgrounds and income levels to consider careers as educators.”

The Department’s Dear Colleague Letter calls on colleges  and universities that receive FWS dollars to set a goal of using at least 15  percent of their FWS funds for community service within the next two years, and  to devote any increase in the use of FWS compensation for community service to  employment in P-12 schools or out-of-school time programs as tutors, mentors,  student success coaches, and in other NPSS roles supporting students. Colleges  and universities may also join this effort by significantly increasing the  number of college students placed in these kinds of roles, regardless of if  Federal Work Study funds are used.

The Dear Colleague Letter also encourages colleges and  universities to share data with the NPSS on the number of college students  serving in these roles, and highlights how federal funds can account for a  larger share of FWS compensation paid for these roles than other FWS roles.

Acknowledging the staffing challenges that many schools  have faced as they work to mount high-impact tutoring and mentoring programs,  the Dear Colleague Letter encourages school and district leaders to partner  with regional colleges and universities to establish partnerships that will  enable college students to fill these student support roles in schools and  out-of-school time programs. In addition, the letter highlights federal  resources that schools and districts can use to increase the number of  individuals serving in these roles.

“Institutions of higher education have an unprecedented opportunity to swiftly address community learning needs and create pathways to service by pairing federal work study with AmeriCorps funding to establish or expand programs that place college students as tutors, mentors, postsecondary transition coaches and other student support roles,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps. “AmeriCorps members and their peers in postsecondary institutions, along with our more than 200 higher education partners that manage AmeriCorps programs, can help lay the groundwork for closing this growing gap. We are proud to stand with our colleagues at the U.S. Department of Education, the National Partnership for Student Success, and those institutions that are rising to the challenge to help our country’s students stay on track.”

“We know the profound impact of the pandemic on K-12  students in Baltimore. They have lost months and years of academic preparation  that will have lingering effects on their economic opportunity in the years to  come,” said Ron Daniels, the President of Johns Hopkins University, home of the  Everyone Graduates Center. “Through the National Partnership for Student  Success, our work-study students will be able to make a measurable and  meaningful difference in the lives of future learners while also learning new  skills and engaging with our neighbors and communities. This project represents  a truly mutually beneficial opportunity for all involved. As the home of the  National Partnership for Student Success Support Hub, Johns Hopkins University  and the Everyone Graduates Center at our School of Education are thrilled to  support not only students in Baltimore through this work, but students in  schools and higher education institutions nationwide.”

The first cohort of early adopter colleges and  universities committed to increasing the number of college students supporting  K-12 schools and students includes:
- AZ -  Arizona State University
- DC -  Howard University
- MD -  Johns Hopkins University
- MD -  Montgomery College
- MI -  Grand Valley State University
- MI -  University of Michigan
- NY -  New York University
- NY -  State University of New York       (SUNY) System
Campuses: Buffalo        State, Binghamton, College of Environmental Science and Forestry,        Cortland, Old Westbury, Oneonta, Onondaga Community College, Rockland, Tompkins        Cortland Community College, Upstate, and University at Albany

- OH -  Rhodes State College
- TN -  University of Memphis
- TX -  Texas A&M University System
Campuses: Central Texas        and Kingsville

- VA -  Longwood University
- VA -  University of Virginia
- VA -  Virginia Commonwealth University
- VA -  Virginia Tech  

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on our  students’ learning and mental health and has widened long-standing inequities  and opportunity gaps for low-income students, students of color, English  learners, and students with disabilities. As a result of President Biden’s  historic investment of $130 billion through the American Rescue Plan to safely  reopen schools, keep them open, and address the academic and mental health  needs of students, schools nationwide are investing in high-impact  interventions, such as tutoring and mentoring, afterschool and summer learning  programs, and school-based health services. As a result, today, many more  students are on the path to recover fully from the pandemic and succeed in  school, college, and future careers.

Despite this progress, many schools have faced challenges  in finding staff to support these critical programs. Today’s announcement  supports President Biden’s call for an additional 250,000 Americans to support  our schools and youth-serving organizations by serving as tutors and mentors  and in other high-impact roles that help address the academic, mental health,  and broader impacts of the pandemic on school-aged children. To help meet this  goal, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the NPSS in July 2022 at an event at the White House.

The NPSS is a research-based, locally-driven  public-private partnership between the Department, AmeriCorps, and the Everyone  Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University that helps schools, districts,  nonprofits, and State and local governments create, expand, and improve  evidence-based programs that support the academic recovery, mental health, and  overall well-being of students. It specifically supports increasing the number  of tutors, mentors, student success coaches, postsecondary transition coaches,  and wraparound/integrated student support coordinators providing research-based  supports to students that promote their academic recovery and overall  well-being.

We encourage additional colleges and universities to sign  up to join the Administration’s effort to increase the number of college  students serving in these roles, share their goals and progress, and  participate in a professional learning community through the NPSS using this  link:  https://www.partnershipstudentsuccess.org/colleges/ . School districts are encouraged to engage with the NPSS and access support  implementing high-quality tutoring, mentoring and other programs, including  help attracting volunteers or staff or identifying a college, university, or  other partner, using this link: https://www.partnershipstudentsuccess.org/schools-districts/.

The Dear Colleague Letter released today is posted here.
   -  Tags: Federal Work-Study ProgramNational Partnership for Student Success (NPSS)Press Releases
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