Equity in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap through High-Impact Tutoring

By Ava Lehner

Almost four years after COVID-19 shut down schools across the U.S., students are still struggling to recover academically. The prolonged disruption to in-person learning further exacerbated existing disparities in achievement that disproportionately affect students of color, especially those from low-income communities. As the effects of school closures continue to ripple throughout the country, a clear solution has emerged as an incredibly effective method for combating pandemic learning loss: high-impact tutoring (HIT).?

High-impact tutoring is a data-driven, research-based practice that substantially improves academic outcomes for students and supports their social and emotional wellbeing. HIT is supplemental to classroom learning, complements existing school curriculum, and can be tailored to meet an individual student’s needs.

Recognizing the need for academic intervention, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) partnered with ExpandED Schools to pioneer a comprehensive, citywide system of HIT. With the ambitious goal of enhancing literacy and math proficiency for 15,000 students by 2025, ExpandED Schools is making significant strides having served over 6,000 students thus far.?

One key partner in this journey is Amplify , a trailblazer in K–12 education dedicated to empowering students and educators alike. Through their curriculum and intervention programs, Amplify supports the efforts of students, educators, and families in building reading proficiency and confidence. Through a partnership with Amplify along with 12 other tutoring providers, ExpandED Schools anticipates serving 80 schools and approximately 5,000 students by the end of the 2023–24 school year.

“Over the past two years, Amplify has been proud to partner with ExpandED Schools and NYCPS to provide data-driven tutoring programs that target individual readers' needs with consistent and caring tutors, who build meaningful relationships with students. So far this school year, 96% of NYCPS students enrolled in the HIT initiative through Amplify Tutoring have demonstrated growth on a national reading assessment from the beginning of the year to the midpoint,” shared Alanna Phelan , Vice President of Amplify Tutoring.

The successful implementation of HIT in NYC is embedded in a commitment to collaboration and strategic planning. Schools have the freedom to build their own program whether this means partnering with an approved tutoring provider that best fits their needs, or utilizing their own staff and curriculum to implement HIT. With technical assistance and support from ExpandED Schools, each school is able to shape a program that both captures its individuality and is implemented with fidelity.

This initiative is not just about filling the educational gaps left by the pandemic, it's about addressing the systemic inequities that plagued our education system long before COVID-19.?

ExpandED Schools’ aims to scale our program across the entirety of NYCPS, so that HIT becomes a permanent fixture of the school day. In doing so, we can guarantee that NYCPS remains committed to addressing resource inequities and providing a long-term solution to support all students, regardless of their demographic. By harnessing the combined power of public schools, community allies, and service providers, we can ensure that students receive the support they need, exactly when they need it.

Please visit our website to learn more about HIT in NYC, access resources, and view our footprint.