Real-Time Learning, Real Results: How Proximity Learning Partners with Districts Like Yours to Transform K–12 Education

For more than 15 years, Proximity Learning has been quietly building a better future for students—long before the pandemic forced schools into virtual learning. Today, our model of live, synchronous instruction is not just filling teacher gaps—it's transforming academic outcomes and educational equity nationwide.

A Legacy of Innovation, Long Before the Crisis

When COVID-19 hit, schools scrambled to adapt. Many turned to emergency remote instruction and asynchronous learning platforms. But Proximity Learning was already ahead of the curve. Founded over 15 years ago, Proximity pioneered a model of live, certified teachers delivering instruction in real time, using video conferencing to reach students wherever they were.

This wasn’t a temporary fix—it was a permanent solution to a systemic issue: the chronic lack of access to quality teachers, especially in underserved and rural communities. And as a newly released, peer-reviewed study from Chicago State University (May 2024) confirms, that early innovation is now proving to be the gold standard in virtual learning.

The Study: Chicago State University Proves the Power of Synchronous Instruction

The recent study examined outcomes for students across multiple schools in Tennessee. The findings are clear and compelling:

• Students taught via Proximity Learning outperformed peers in asynchronous and emergency learning models on standardized Math and English Language Arts assessments.
  
  
• Students receiving live, virtual instruction from Proximity teachers showed a .45 effect size increase in test scores—a statistically significant gain that places Proximity among the most effective interventions for raising academic achievement.
  
  
• Performance gains were strongest in schools with high vacancy rates, highlighting how Proximity Learning closes opportunity gaps caused by teacher shortages.
  

This wasn’t a narrow sample or one-off success—it was a broad implementation in real-world conditions, demonstrating that virtual does not have to mean lower quality when the model is built on proven, synchronous interaction.

Why Proximity Learning Works

The key difference between Proximity Learning and other virtual education models is synchronous engagement. In asynchronous programs, students are expected to watch recorded videos, complete assignments independently, and often receive limited feedback. The result? Many fall behind, disengage, or simply disappear.

Proximity Learning flips that model on its head:

• Live, certified teachers teach in real time via webcam, delivering instruction aligned with local and state standards.
  
  
• Students engage actively, answer questions, participate in discussions, and receive immediate support and scaffolding.
  
  
• Relationships are built, and students are seen—not just as data points, but as individuals with unique needs, strengths, and goals.
  

This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about pedagogical best practices. Research consistently shows that real-time instruction, especially with skilled educators, leads to better comprehension, higher retention, and stronger test performance. And with Proximity, this kind of interaction is scalable—even to the hardest-to-staff schools in the country.

A Model for Educational Equity

Proximity Learning exists to connect every learner to the expert teacher they deserve, no matter their ZIP code. That mission resonates more urgently than ever, especially in the wake of the pandemic, which widened existing achievement gaps and left many students without access to consistent instruction.

The peer reviewed study underscores Proximity's unique ability to advance equity at scale:

• In schools where hiring and retaining teachers is a year-round challenge, Proximity ensures that students don’t lose instructional time.
  
  
• In classrooms that might otherwise be staffed by substitutes or unqualified personnel, students instead engage with experienced, certified educators.
  
  
• And in districts that struggle to attract talent to specialized or advanced courses, Proximity opens doors to curriculum options that would otherwise be unavailable.
  

By removing geography as a barrier, Proximity creates real opportunities for real students—and proves that equity isn’t just an ideal. It’s something we can build, class by class, day by day.

More Than a Pandemic Response—A Proven, Scalable Solution

Too often, virtual learning is associated with the chaos of 2020. But Proximity Learning is different. With over 15 years of experience, the company had already built the systems, hired the teachers, and refined the instructional model well before the world was forced online.

That depth of experience means districts aren't buying into a theory—they're implementing a solution that has been tested, improved, and scaled across dozens of states. And it works not just in emergencies, but as a long-term strategy for improving student outcomes.

District leaders in the Chicago study reported that the Proximity Learning model was:

• Easier to integrate into existing school structures than asynchronous platforms.
  
  
• More effective in engaging students, improving attendance, and reducing behavior issues.
  
  
• Sustainable, with reliable staffing and consistent teacher-student relationships throughout the academic year.
  

Looking Ahead: A New Era for K–12 Education

Education doesn’t need another stopgap. It needs a new standard—one that ensures every student has access to high-quality instruction, regardless of physical location, district resources, or teacher availability.

Proximity Learning is leading that shift. Their model offers more than coverage; it delivers connection, consistency, and real results. The Chicago State University study is just the beginning, but it makes one thing unmistakably clear:

When students have access to live, expert teachers every day, they thrive.

The Bottom Line

We know what doesn’t work: asynchronous learning, emergency virtual instruction, and classrooms left vacant or understaffed. The data is in—and Proximity Learning’s synchronous model delivers better test scores, greater engagement, and a real path toward educational equity.

This is not the future of learning. It’s the present—and it’s working.

Let’s stop settling. Proximity Learning proves that when we deliver on the promise of live, expert instruction, every child has the chance to succeed. Schedule a meeting today.