UChicago Education Lab leaders on NAEP scores: It’s worse than you think but there is a solution

In the U.S. education system, falling behind isn’t just an individual setback—it has a cumulative impact on our economy, workforce, and global competitiveness. The reason is because schooling builds on itself. If kids miss foundational skills, they struggle to engage with grade-level instruction, making it harder to catch up over time. The further they fall, the less they get out of school, and the harder it is to close the gap. This isn’t a one-time dip in test scores; it’s a widening problem that compounds with every passing year.

The good news? We know how to break this cycle. At the University of Chicago Education Lab, we’ve spent over a decade studying high-dosage tutoring—one of the most effective and cost-efficient interventions ever tested.

When done right—intensive, personalized, and embedded in the school day—it can double or even triple the rate of student learning, helping kids catch up before it’s too late.

We can’t afford to wait and hope this problem resolves itself—it won’t. Now more than ever, schools must invest in what works.

• Read more about our Personalized Learning Initiative and how we’re scaling high-dosage tutoring nationwide.
• Read our faculty director’s latest op-ed, co-authored by former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, on how Toyota’s manufacturing approach offers a surprising solution to academic mismatch.