Mar 2023
Not Too Late: Improving Academic Outcomes Among Adolescents
Read our academic paper on the early Saga studies published in the American Economic Review.
Improving academic outcomes for economically disadvantaged students has proven challenging, particularly for children at older ages. We present two large-scale randomized controlled trials of a high-dosage tutoring program delivered to secondary school students in Chicago. One innovation is to use paraprofessional tutors to hold down cost, thereby increasing scalability. Participating in math tutoring increases math test scores by 0.18 to 0.40 standard deviations and increases math and non-math course grades. These effects persist into future years. The data are consistent with increased personalization of instruction as a mechanism. The benefit-cost ratio is comparable to many successful early-childhood programs.
Latest Updates
Making the most of tutoring: 4 strategies for success
MDRC’s Barbara Condliffe and Shira Mattera share successful strategies from the Personalized Learning Initiative, our national study of the impact of high-dosage tutoring across the country.
Leaders Asked for More Tutors, and Schools Got Them. Is That Enough?
EdSurge’s Daniel Mollenkamp highlights the preliminary findings from the Education Lab’s Personalized Learning Initiative, which suggests in-school tutoring can lead to math gains.
Anjali Adukia on restorative practices in schools
Crime Lab affiliate Anjali Adukia joins the Probable Causation Podcast with Jennifer Doleac to discuss research on the use of restorative justice practices in schools.
