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
Jens Ludwig and Randall Stephenson: What America can learn from ‘Toyota Way’ to improve education outcomes
Jens Ludwig and Randall Stephenson present a transformative idea to improve learning outcomes in the U.S.
Roseanna Ander: From Commune to Crime Fighter
Roseanna Ander joins The Chicago Network’s HerStories Podcast to discuss how her background led to her work today in reducing gun violence and advancing justice as Founding Executive Director of The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab.
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.
