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 33REACH: Evaluation report and executive summary. (2016). Sibieta, L. . London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED581275
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
Butterfly Phonics: Evaluation report and executive summary. (2015). Merrell, C., & Kasim, A. . London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED581118
Catch Up® Literacyeracy: Evaluation report and executive summary. (2015). Rutt, S., Kettlewell, K., & Bernardenelli, D.. London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED558735.pdf
TextNow Transition Programme: Evaluation report and executive summary. (2014). Maxwell, B., Connolly, P., Demack, S., O’Hare, L., Stevens, A., & Clague, L. (2014). London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266599371_TextNow_Transition_Programme…
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
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
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
Efficacy of Supplemental Phonics-Based Instruction for Low-Skilled First Graders: How Language Minority Status and Pretest Characteristics Moderate Treatment Response. (2011). Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A. . Scientific Studies of Reading, 15(6), 471–497. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2010.501091
Efficacy of supplemental phonics-based instruction for low-skilled kindergarteners in the context of language minority status and classroom phonics instruction. (2010). Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A. . Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 786–803. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019639
Supplemental Fluency Intervention and Determinants of Reading Outcomes. (2009). Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A.. Scientific Studies of Reading, 13(5), 383–425. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888430903162894
Repeated reading intervention: Outcomes and interactions with readers' skills and classroom instruction. (2008). Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A.. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(2), 272–290. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.100.2.272
Effects of Targeted Intervention on Early Literacyeracy Skills of At-Risk Students. (2008). Wang, C., & Algozzine, B.. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 22(4), 425–439. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568540809594637
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
Reading rescue: An effective tutoring intervention model for language-minority students who are struggling readers in first grade. (2007). Ehri, L. C., Dreyer, L. G., Flugman, B., & Gross, A.. American Educational Research Journal, 44(2), 414–448. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831207302175
Code-Oriented Instruction for Kindergarten Students at Risk for Reading Difficulties: A Randomized Field Trial with Paraeducator Implementers. (2006). Vadasy, P. F., Sanders, E. A., & Peyton, J. A.. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(3), 508–528. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ742197
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
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/
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
Every moment counts: Pairing struggling young readers with minimally trained tutors. (2002). Cook, J. A.
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 Efficacy of Supplemental Instruction in Decoding Skills for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Students in Early Elementary School. (2000). Gunn, B., Biglan, A., Smolkowski, K., & Ary, D.. The Journal of Special Education, 34(2), 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1177/002246690003400204
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
The Effectiveness of One-to-One Tutoring by Community Tutors for at-Risk Beginning Readers. (1997). Vadasy, P. F., Jenkins, J. R., Antil, L. R., Wayne, S. K., & O’Connor, R. E.. Learning Disability Quarterly, 20(2), 126–139. https://doi.org/10.2307/1511219
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