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Mission.io and Federal Funding Sources

Districts can leverage a range of federal education funds to support the adoption and implementation of Mission.io. Because the program meets ESSA Tier IV (“Demonstrates a Rationale”) and has ongoing research underway to advance toward Levels II–III, it qualifies for funding under Titles I, II, III, and IV-A, as well as Title IV-B.

Each Title program provides opportunities to fund different aspects of Mission.io — from classroom instruction and professional learning to after-school enrichment and digital innovation. The following table outlines how Mission.io aligns with the allowable use and priorities of each federal Title, helping districts integrate it into existing plans and budgets without requiring new funding mechanisms.

Together, these funding pathways give districts multiple, flexible options to invest in evidence-based, standards-aligned innovation that supports academic growth, engagement, and resiliency development.

Program
Funding Type
Allowable Uses
How Mission.io Qualifies
Title I, Part A comptab-infoalt7-icon
Formula funds allocated by the U.S. DOE to states and then to LEAs based on counts of low-income students.
Academic improvement, evidence-based interventions for at-risk students
Mission.io provides evidence-based digital instruction proven to increase science, literacy, problem-solving, and engagement. It supports Title I schoolwide and targeted programs by building core academic skills in reading andSTEM, fostering student resilience, and closing achievement gaps through differentiated, interactive learning Missions.
Title II, Part A comptab-infoalt7-icon
Formula funds distributed by states to LEAs based on enrollment and poverty levels.
Teacher effectiveness, professional learning
Mission.io enhances teacher practice with real-time dashboards, classroom analytics, and formative data that inform instruction and intervention. The program supports PD goals by strengthening teachers’ ability to engage students in inquiry-based, standards-aligned instruction and by promoting reflective teaching practices aligned with educator effectiveness frameworks.
Title III, Part A comptab-infoalt7-icon
Formula funds allocated to states based on English Learner enrollment, then subgranted to eligible districts.
English Learners & academic language
Missions embed academic vocabulary, communication, and content-area literacy throughout STEM-based narratives. English Learners practice reading for meaning, collaborating with peers, and applying academic language in context. This aligns with Title III objectives to promote English proficiency and access to rigorous, content-rich instruction.
Title IV, Part A comptab-infoalt7-icon
Formula funds allocated by the U.S. DOE to states and then to LEAs.
Well-rounded education, safe and healthy students, and effective use of technology
Mission.io supports all three Title IV-A priority areas: (1) Well-rounded education through integrated cross-curricular Missions; (2) Safe and healthy students through teamwork, resilience-building activities, and Missions that help teachers develop a positive classroom climate; and (3) Effective use of technology via an accessible, standards-aligned digital platform.
Title IV, Part B comptab-infoalt7-icon
Competitive grants awarded by the state education agency to eligible applicants (districts, schools, or community partners).
Provides academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours, including after-school, before-school, and summer programs.
Mission.io aligns with 21st CCLC objectives by extending academic and character development beyond the school day. Its ready-to-run, story-based Missions strengthen literacy, data reasoning, and STEM skills while fostering collaboration, leadership, and resilience. Districts and community partners can integrate Mission.io into enrichment rotations, STEM clubs, or summer programs using existing subgrants or future 21st CCLC competitions, making it a flexible, high-impact enrichment solution.
All ESSA Title and Part citations reference the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–95). Title I §1003 (School Improvement) requires interventions meeting ESSA Tiers I–III; all other Titles permit evidence-based interventions meeting Tiers I–IV when supported by a logic model and evaluation plan (ESSA §8101(21)(A)(iv)).

ESSA Level IV Evidence 2024 (1)Evidence Base and ESSA Alignment

Districts and states emphasize the use of  evidence-based instructional programs to ensure that every investment leads to measurable student impact. Mission.io was developed and evaluated under this same standard — grounded in a research-based logic model, guided by ongoing evaluation studies, and  designed to demonstrate measurable growth in science, STEM, literacy, engagement, and resilience.

Across multiple studies, Mission.io has shown impact on various outcomes of interest, including statistically significant gains in science proficiency, reading comprehension, and data analysis, along with improved student motivation and collaboration. The
program currently meets Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier IV (“Demonstrates a  Rationale”) criteria, with a clear plan for advancing to Tier II–III in the coming year. This growing body of research demonstrates that Mission.io delivers verifiable, data-driven results that districts can confidently cite in their federal and state funding plans.

ESSA Tier
Definition
Mission.io Status
I - Strong Evidence
Supported by one or more well-designed & well-implemented randomized control trials (RCTs).
Mission.io has applied for federal funding to conduct a large-scale RCT to evaluate long-term student outcomes and teacher implementation fidelity.
II - Moderate Evidence
Supported by at least one well-designed quasi-experimental study.
An efficacy study is underway for the 2025–26 school year to evaluate program impact on literacy outcomes, engagement, content knowledge, and self-efficacy. Findings from this quasi-experimental study will be submitted for ESSA Tier II validation.
III - Promising Evidence
Supported by at least one correlational or pre-post study that meets basic design quality criteria.
Mission.io has completed correlational analyses (2021–2023) showing significant positive relationships between program usage and outcomes in science achievement. A manuscript is currently in review for ESSA Tier III validation.
IV - Demonstrates a Rationale
Supported by a logic model that links program activities to outcomes, along with an evaluation plan for ongoing research.
Mission.io currently meets ESSA Tier IV criteria through a published research-based logic model, theoretical rationale, and documented evaluation plan. Current quasi-experimental and correlational studies are in progress to advance toward Tier II–III validation.

Implementation & Next Steps

  1. Identify specific needs of the district/LEA (e.g., engagement, resiliency education resources, STEM digital learning tools, literacy)

  2. Reference Mission.io as an evidence-based digital learning intervention that meets that specific area of need

  3. Use existing federal or state allocations — no new grants required.

  4. Join the Mission.io Research Network to conduct a pilot and start seeing impact!

Evidence of Impact

Learn more at https://mission.io/evidence

Science

Higher science proficiency in Grades 5 and 6 is correlated with higher school-level Mission.io usage (Mission.io, 2025a; Mission.io, 2025c). A retrospective correlational study found positive correlations between Mission.io usage and RISE science assessment scores in 5th grade (r=0.2723, p<.001) and 6th grade (r=0.2521, p=.001). Tukey's HSD post-hoc analyses revealed that High Usage schools scored significantly higher than No Usage schools across all grades (Q=5.71, p=.001), in 5th grade (Q=5.58, p=.001) and in 6th grade (Q=5.67, p=.005).

Literacy

Usage of Mission.io boosts reading and data analysis skills in Grades 3 and 5 (Milien et al., 2025). Based on Mann-Whitney U tests, third-grade students (n=23) demonstrated significant gains in reading (Z=-3.961, p<.001) and data analysis (Z=-3.429, p=.001). Fifth-grade students (n=81) showed similar improvements in both domains (Z=-2.567, p=.010; Z=-3.814, p<.001, respectively).

Engagement

Teachers report improved student engagement and motivation outcomes (Milien et al., 2025, Mission.io, 2025b). Treatment group teachers (n=11) reported higher student interest in science (+28.3%), motivation to learn (+33.7%), participation (+55.1%), and whole-class engagement (+63.8%) during Missions compared to "normal" classroom conditions. 100% reported that the program aligns with standards, reinforces curriculum, and has a positive impact on student learning. 96.1% of teachers surveyed (n=127) reported Mission.io helps to increase student engagement and participation, and 95.3% stated Mission.io helps to increase student motivation.

Skills

Mission.io usage has a direct impact on the development of durable skills in students (Langford, 2021; Langford, 2023; Mission.io, 2025b). Teachers (n=127) reported that the program had a high impact on the following student skills: collaboration (82.7%), communication (81.1%), and critical thinking (75.6%). Weekly program usage drives gains in collaboration (+80%), critical thinking (+44%), initiative (+26%), resilience (+13%), and knowledge (+26%). Collaboration showed sustained growth (+.1016 from mean value) as did Critical Thinking (+.424 from mean value).

Skills

Our Logic Model

As the demands of the future grow increasingly complex, educators face the daunting task of preparing students without the necessary tools or time, placing immense pressure on them to devise innovative solutions independently. Our solution revolutionizes learning with an immersive platform that not only engages students in real-world problem-solving but also measures their applied knowledge and essential skills through cutting-edge analytics.

Mission.io Logic Model 2-21-24

Need more help with funding?

We have different programs and internal grants available to help any school get access to our technology. Submit your email below to get help from us ↓