Tutoring is one-to-one or small-group instruction dedicated to a specific goal and used to supplement classroom instruction. About 1 in 4 districts and charters planned to spend ESSER money on tutoring as of 2023, and another 17 percent planned math or reading coaching or mentoring.
The National Center for Education Statistics defines three main tutoring types:
- High-dosage tutoring includes at least 30 minutes per session, three or more times per week, in 1-to-1 or small groups, by educators or well-trained tutors, and which uses high-quality materials and aligns with an evidence-based core curriculum or program. Federal data show that, as of the 2022-23 school year, about 11 percent of public school students received high-dose tutoring.
- Standard tutoring is less intensive and may include 1-to-1, small-group, or large-group sessions less than three times per week, taught by educators who may or may not have received specific training in tutoring practices. About 14 percent of public school students received standard tutoring in 2022-23,federal data show.
- Self-paced tutoring provides guided instruction for students to work through on their own, generally online, progressing to new content as they demonstrate mastery of the current content. Nine percent of public school students participated in self-paced tutoring in 2022-23, federal data indicate.
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s research arm, high-dose tutoring is the most effective—though often the most expensive.
The National Student Support Accelerator, a Stanford University center that studies effective tutoring, finds that effective high-dose tutoring programs require:
- Tutoring integrated into the school day to increase tutor-teacher coordination and avoid transportation or time problems for students.
- Targeting students based on academic need rather than requiring parents to opt into services.
- Budgeting services for at least three to five days a week for extended periods of time.
- Differentiated tutoring based on particular student needs and skills.
- Data-gathering and progress-monitoring, particularly when schools work with outside tutoring providers.
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