What Is High-Impact Tutoring?
Tutoring is a form of teaching, one-on-one or in a small group, towards a specific goal. High-impact tutoring is intensive, relationship-based, and individualized instruction that leads to substantial learning gains for students by supplementing, but not replacing, students’ classroom experiences. High-impact tutoring responds to individual needs and complements students’ existing curriculum.
We recognize high-impact tutoring programs as those that either have directly demonstrated significant gains in student learning through state-of-the-art research studies or have characteristics that have proven to accelerate student learning. These characteristics of high-impact tutoring programs currently include: substantial time each week of required tutoring, sustained and strong relationships between students and their tutors, close monitoring of student knowledge and skills, alignment with school curriculum, and oversight of tutors to assure quality interactions.
What Makes Tutoring High-Impact?
- Regular sessions (3+ times per week for 10+ weeks)
- Small-group formats (one-to-one is optimal; no greater than one-to-four)
- Consistent, well-trained tutors
- Data-driven instruction
- School-day implementation
- Vetted, structured instructional materials that complement core classroom instruction
For more information, see High-Impact Tutoring One-Pager
The Elements of High-Impact Tutoring
Why These Elements Matter
Tutoring can be defined in many ways and not all are effective. Research consistently shows that tutoring programs incorporating these seven elements produce 3-15 months of additional learning.
Why Implementation Matters
Evidence from large-scale implementations shows that tutoring is less effective when it does not adhere to the above research-backed elements, underscoring the importance of fidelity to high-impact tutoring standards.
The Benefits
Meet individual needs
Build relationships
Supports well-being
Increase attendance
Accelerates learning by 3-15 months