Higher Achievement

Mission

Higher Achievement is an academic enrichment program focused on the critical middle school transition. Leveraging volunteer mentors, Higher Achievement supports its scholars year-round from 5th - 8th grade, culminating in placement in college preparatory high school programs.

Program Description

Higher Achievement offers small-group academic mentoring in math and humanities/ELA for middle grade students. It has been the subject of two randomized controlled trial studies by MDRC, both of which demonstrated positive academic effects.

Type of service
Tutoring Program
Academic Intervention
Year Started
1975
Headquarter Location (City, State)
Washington DC
States of Operation
Maryland,
Virginia,
Washington DC,
Virtual
Operation Locations
Washington DC, Alexandria VA, Prince Georges County MD, Baltimore MD, Richmond VA
Most recent number of students served
600
Subject Offered
English Language Arts (ELA),
Math,
Reading
Grade Levels
5th Grade,
6th Grade,
7th Grade,
8th Grade
Languages Offered
English
Percentage of tutors who can speak a language other than English
20% speak Spanish, roughly
Race/Ethnicity breakdown of tutors
15% Hispanic/Latino, 55% Black or African American, 30% White
Setting
During School
Out of School
Delivery Mode
Blended
In-Person
Virtual
Tutor-Student Ratio
1:3
Number of Sessions Per Week
3
Number of Minutes Per Session
60
Number of Weeks Per Program
32
Does your program engage with parents?
Yes
Family Engagement Description

Interview families before admission to Higher Achievement, family advising 3x per year to support eventual placement in college preparatory high schools and to build navigational capital.

Organization Type
Nonprofit
Customer Type
District, Parent, School, Student
Cost to District/ School/ Non-Profit
Varies. Roughly $1000
Cost to Student
$0
Type of Tutor
Tutoring Staff, Volunteer
Randomized controlled trial (RCT) study conducted?
Yes
RCT effect size
0,2
Quasi-experimental (QED) study conducted?
No
Contact Name
Lynsey Wood Jeffries

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The inclusion of an organization's information in the Tutoring Database does not indicate that Brown University, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, the National Student Support Accelerator, or any individual associated with these entities endorse or support that organization. The National Student Support Accelerator includes all tutoring programs it is aware of in the Tutoring Database. In contrast, the Accelerator uses the following inclusion criteria for academic intervention materials. To be included, interventions must: 1) have a randomized control trial or quasi-experimental study, 2) that produced an effect size of +0.20 or greater OR 3) have particularly high-quality instructional materials but do not yet have RCT or QES research.