San Francisco Tutoring Model Boosts Reading Scores
A San Francisco program using "high-impact tutoring" has raised grade-level reading proficiency from 24% to 54% in five months. The model's structure of short, intensive, and frequent sessions could be adapted for teaching executive function skills like planning and time management.
- The program is a partnership between the San Francisco Education Fund (SF Ed Fund), the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and the city's Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF). An expansion will bring the total number of students served to over 2,700 across 20 of the district's highest-needs schools. - Tutors are provided by the private company Chapter One, and the cost has been reported at $500 per child. The funding for the program's expansion is made possible through the city's Student Success Fund and a nearly $830,000 contribution from the school district. - The "high-impact" model is defined by researchers as having a consistent tutor provide one-on-one support at least three times per week. Studies have found this method can increase student achievement by the equivalent of three to 15 months of learning. - This tutoring initiative is part of a broader district goal to raise third-grade literacy proficiency from roughly 50% to 70% by 2027. The program specifically targets students in 2nd through 4th grade, a critical window for literacy development. - The intervention aims to address significant achievement gaps, as recent state assessments showed only 19% of Black students, 26% of Latinx students, and 7% of English Language Learners met third-grade literacy standards. - Tutors use materials that are aligned with and reinforce classroom instruction. This complements SFUSD's district-wide adoption of a new curriculum based on the "science of reading" in the 2024-25 school year. - While the San Francisco model uses paid tutors, research on interventions for students with ADHD has shown that peer tutoring can also be highly effective. This approach increases engagement and provides one-on-one support, which can help in acquiring both academic and social skills.
