Welcome

Greetings –

On behalf of the National Education Association and the National Student Support Accelerator, two organizations dedicated to student learning and success, thank you for your interest in high-impact tutoring as an academic intervention for student support and learning recovery. We welcome you to this Educator Union Leaders Guide focused on high-impact tutoring advocacy!

Why high-impact tutoring? Because so many students have faced exacerbated inequities through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic; we are called to use every tool in our toolbox that is proven to work in order to ensure that resources and supports are directed to the students who need them the most.  Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has allocated over $200 billion in new dollars for K-12 education. This funding represents a massive opportunity for our nation’s schools to adopt effective academic interventions for the long-term, but it’s up to us to ensure that it's moving to meet the highest needs of our students.  

This is a rare opportunity. Research doesn’t often supply significant evidence that points to the promise of a specific academic intervention. Yet, findings over several years show strongly positive effects of tutoring across grade levels and subject areas ranging from half a year to more than a year of learning over one academic year of tutoring. Often, these results are based on studies of students who are far behind grade level.

Tutoring can be a highly effective way to accelerate learning for students with substantial learning needs, but to be effective tutoring programs must include the hallmarks of strong supports of such programs - substantial time each week during the school day, sustained and strong relationships between students and their tutors, close monitoring of student knowledge and skills, alignment with school curriculum, and training and oversight of tutors. It is critical to note that high-impact tutoring supplements classroom teaching, but does not replace it.

The National Student Support Accelerator (the Accelerator) and its Tutoring Educator Advisory Group have collaboratively developed this resource to support NEA affiliate leaders as they advocate for effective learning interventions for students that support educators in the field. 

This guide places in your hands the tools and resources needed to lead the way in building student-centered, student-focused, educator-led efforts to ensure safe, just, inclusive and supportive learning environments for every student. The guide is designed to help union leaders advocate for high-impact tutoring programs within their districts. It provides the research-backed evidence of efficacy and the rationale for how high-impact tutoring supports students and educators, as well as tools for successful advocacy. Because we know, when educators lead, students win.

 

Becky Pringle

Becky Pringle
President
National Education Association

Susanna Loeb

Susanna Loeb
Executive Director
National Student Support Accelerator