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
Every Choice Has Opportunity: Inside the ECHO Curriculum
The Crime Lab and Education Lab hosted a webinar to provide an in-depth look at the research behind ECHO, our approach to creating it, and an overview of resources and tips to get started with using the curriculum.
Philadelphia’s tutoring program shows promise but faces familiar obstacle: expanding it effectively
The Education Lab’s John Wolf spoke to Rebecca Redelmeier for Chalkbeat Philadelphia about our research showing high-dosage tutoring works—but only when students receive enough of it each week to produce measurable gains.
A Promising Start for Personalized Learning in Miami-Dade
Griffin Catalyst highlights its three-year gift to the Education Lab to bring an innovative, high-dosage, math tutoring initiative to middle schools in Miami-Dade County to support and accelerate student learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial results from the program are promising, suggesting that this approach can help tackle learning loss and enable students to catch up to grade level.
