ERIC Number: ED672159
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Oct
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
The Inequity of Opt-In Educational Resources and an Intervention to Increase Equitable Access. EdWorkingPaper No. 22-654
Carly D. Robinson; Biraj Bisht; Susanna Loeb
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Billions of dollars are invested in opt-in, educational resources to accelerate students' learning. Although advertised to support struggling, marginalized students, there is no guarantee these students will opt in. We report results from a school system's implementation of on-demand tutoring. The take up was low. At baseline, only 19% of students ever accessed the platform, and struggling students were far less likely to opt in than their more engaged and higher achieving peers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (N=4,763) testing behaviorally-informed approaches to increase take-up. Communications to parents and students together increase the likelihood students access tutoring by 46%, which led to a four-percentage point decrease in course failures. Nonetheless, take-up remained low, showing concerns that opt-in resources can increase--instead of reduce--inequality are valid. Without targeted investments, opt-in educational resources are unlikely to reach many students who could benefit.
Descriptors: Educational Resources, Intervention, Access to Education, Tutoring, Academic Achievement, Information Dissemination, Equal Education, At Risk Students, Middle School Students, High School Students, Interpersonal Communication, Program Effectiveness, Minority Group Students, Low Income Students, Student Participation, Grades (Scholastic), Grade Point Average
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A


