Research Database
This tool allows education practitioners and researchers to quickly access quantitative research on tutoring program effectiveness. These 150+ research studies were selected due to their rigorous research designs which align with What Works Clearinghouse and Every Student Succeeds Act standards for moderate and strong evidence of intervention efficacy. Many studies were originally identified by their inclusion in recent meta-analyses (Baye et al., 2018; Neitzel et al., 2021; Nickow et al., 2020). Research may be sorted by grade level, subject, and tutor type in order to explore the evidence base for particular program designs. This database does not include qualitative research on best practices for tutoring implementation, for which we recommend exploring our District Playbook and Toolkit for Tutoring Programs.
If you have additional research studies (quantitative or qualitative) that you would like to share, please fill out this form or send an email to info@studentsupportaccelerator.org.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37Efficacy of a Word- and Text-Based Intervention for Students With Significant Reading Difficulties. (2019). Vaughn, S., Roberts, G. J., Miciak, J., Taylor, P., & Fletcher, J. M.. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219418775113
A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Descubriendo la Lectura. (2019). Borman, G. D., Borman, T. H., Park, S. J., & Houghton, S.. American Educational Research Journal. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0002831219890612
A multi-sensory tutoring program for students atrisk of reading difficulties: Evidence from a randomized field experiment. (2019). Bøg, M., Dietrichson, J., & Aldenius, A.. Working Paper. https://ideas.repec.org/p/hhs/ifauwp/2019_007.html
The Impacts of Reading Recovery at scale: Results from the 4-year i3 external evaluation. (2018). Sirinides, P., Gray, A., & May, H.. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0162373718764828
Effectiveness of a group-based academic tutoring program for children in foster care: A randomized controlled trial. (2016). Harper, J., & Schmidt, F.. Children and Youth Services Review, 67(C), 238–246. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v67y2016icp238-246.html
Leveraging Volunteers: An Experimental Evaluation of a Tutoring Program for Struggling Readers. (2016). Jacob, R., Armstrong, C., Bowden, A. B., & Pan, Y.. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 9(1), 67–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2016.1138560
A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluation of Time to Read, a Volunteer Tutoring Program for 8- to 9-Year-Olds. (2013). Miller, S., & Connolly, P.. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 35(1), 23–37. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23356968
A one-to-one programme for at-risk readers delivered by older adult volunteers. (2013). Fives, A., Kearns, N., Devaney, C., Canavan, J., Russell, D., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., & O’Brien, A.. Review of Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3016
Reading Interventions With Varying Instructional Emphases for Fourth Graders With Reading Difficulties. (2012). Wanzek, J., & Roberts, G.. Learning Disability Quarterly, 35(2), 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731948711434047
The effects of a volunteer mentoring programme on reading outcomes among eight- to nine-year-old children: A follow up randomized controlled trial. (2012). Miller, S., Connolly, P., & Maguire, L. K.. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 10(2), 134–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X11407989
The Effect of the Experience Corps® Program on Student Reading Outcomes. (2012). Lee, Y. S., Morrow-Howell, N., Jonson-Reid, M., & McCrary, S.. Education and Urban Society, 44(1), 97–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124510381262
Effects of preventative tutoring on the mathematical problem solving of third-grade students with math and reading difficulties. (2008). Fuchs, L. S., Seethaler, P. M., Powell, S. R., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C. L., & Fletcher, J. M.. Exceptional Children. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2832201/
Using the right design to get the ‘wrong’ answer? Results of a random assignment evaluation of a volunteer tutoring programme. (2008). Ritter, G., & Maynard, R.. Journal of Children’s Services, 3(2), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.1108/17466660200800008
Effectiveness of an English intervention for first-grade English language learners at risk for reading problems. (2006). Vaughn, Sharon, et al.. The Elementary School Journal, 107(2). https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/510653
The effects of theoretically different instruction and student characteristics on the skills of struggling readers. (2005). Mathes, P. G., Denton, C. A., Fletcher, J. M., Anthony, J. L., Francis, D. J., & Schatschneider, C.. Reading Research Quarterly. https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Simmons/Research/IEBE/16848730---Scale-Up-RRQ…
Tutor-assisted intensive learning strategies in kindergarten: How much is enough?. (2005). Al Otaiba, S., Schatschneider, C., & Silverman, E.. Exceptionality. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2005-13831-002
Literacyeracy Learning of At-Risk First-Grade Students in the Reading Recovery Early Intervention. (2005). Schwartz, R. M.. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232534076_Literacyeracy_Learning_of_At…
America Reads: The effects of a federal work-study tutoring program on literacy achievement and attitudes of teachers, tutors, and children. (2005). Woo, D. G.. Rutgers The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick
Short-term impact of experience Corps® participation on children and schools: Results from a pilot randomized trial. (2004). Rebok, G. W., Carlson, M. C., Glass, T. A., McGill, S., Hill, J., Wasik, B. A., Ialongo, N., Frick, K. D., Fried, L. P., & Rasmussen, M. D.. Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 81(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1093/jurban/jth095
An investigation of the effects of an intensive early literacy support program on the phonological processing skills of kindergarten children at-risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. (2004). Benner, G. J., Gonzalez, J. E., Nelson, R.. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247785524_An_Investigation_of_the_Effe…
An investigation of the effects of a comprehensive reading intervention on the beginning reading skills of first graders at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. (2004). Mooney, P. J.. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3092577/
Effects of intensive reading remediation for second and third graders and a 1-year follow-up. (2004). Blachman, B. A., Schatschneider, C., Fletcher, J. M., Francis, D. J., Clonan, S. M., Shaywitz, B. A., & Shaywitz, S. E.. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-18154-004
Teaching reading to poor readers in the intermediate grades: A comparison of text difficulty. (2002). O'Connor, R. E., Bell, K. M., Harty, K. R., Larkin, L. K., Sackor, S. M., & Zigmond, N.. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-18006-003
Every moment counts: Pairing struggling young readers with minimally trained tutors. (2002). Cook, J. A.
Adult-mediated reading instruction for third through fifth grade children with reading difficulties. (2002). Lachney, R. P.. LSU Doctoral Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/3483
Explicitly Teaching for Transfer: Effects on the Mathematical Problem‐Solving Performance of Students with Mathematics Disabilities. (2002). Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C. L., & Appleton, A. C.. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-13312-002
Effects of tutoring in phonological and early reading skills on students at risk for reading disabilities. (2000). Vadasy, P. F., Jenkins, J. R., & Pool, K.. Journal of Learning Disabilities. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15495399/
When less may be more: A 2‐year longitudinal evaluation of a volunteer tutoring program requiring minimal training. (2000). Baker, S., Gersten, R., & Keating, T.. Reading Research Quarterly. https://www.jstor.org/stable/748095?seq=1
The effectiveness of adult volunteer tutoring on reading among “at risk” first grade children. (1998). Rimm‐Kaufman, S. E., Kagan, J., & Byers, H.. Literacyeracy Research and Instruction
Community-based early reading intervention for at-risk first graders. (1997). Vadasy, P. F., Jenkins, J. R., Antil, L. R., & Wayne, S. K.. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice.. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ541022