🛝 Algebra Study, VR Headsets, and Free School Lunch

Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what's next.

Here's what we have on deck for today…

• Algebra Study

• One in Five Teens Now Owns a VR Headset

• Free School Lunch Is Having a Moment

This Study Just Cracked the Algebra Code That's Been Stumping Schools for Decades

Only 28% of students nationwide can handle 8th-grade math.

TNTP and New Classrooms just dropped a study that tracked 2,000+ students using their Teach to One Roadmaps platform.

Turns out, students don't need to master every single thing. Here's what actually matters: Students who knew about 80% of the material were likely to crush their end-of-year tests. But those who knew less than 30% almost never made it.

With millions of students failing Algebra I every year, whoever builds the Netflix of math interventions stands to transform American math education.

One in Five Teens Now Owns a VR Headset. Schools Are Still Playing Catch-Up

The XR Association just surveyed 600 teens and found 20% already own headsets. Teen boys are crushing it at 29% ownership while girls lag at 15%.

Over half of teens (52%) surveyed are already using XR in schools. That's up 9% since 2022. And 44% say it helps them learn more easily, especially younger teens and girls.

But most schools treat VR like a field trip novelty instead of a core learning tool. Meanwhile, teens are begging for more. When researchers explained XR's full potential, teen excitement jumped to 76%.

Smart innovators will build VR experiences that bridge the gender gap and move beyond gaming. Think virtual chemistry labs where mistakes don't explode. Historical simulations where students walk through Ancient Rome. Math problems that come alive in 3D space.

Free School Lunch Is Having a Moment

Ten states now offer free meals to every student, no questions asked. New York just joined the club in May, making it official: universal school meals are going mainstream. The numbers back it up: 12.2 million kids ate free breakfast last year, up 8% from 2022.

But we’re still below pre-pandemic levels. "We know that families are still struggling," says Clarissa Hayes from the Food Research and Action Center. Meanwhile, the feds just cut $660 million from programs that help schools buy local food.

The shortfall creates opportunity for innovators who can find a way to make these programs financially sustainable. With universal meals spreading state by state, whoever cracks the economics wins access to millions of students nationwide.

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