How to Design, Fund and Implement an Effective Program for Student Success
Results for America, in partnership with the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) and the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, invites teams from state and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) to apply for this 7-session virtual learning opportunity. This program is designed for teams committed to advancing evidence-based high-impact tutoring in their schools and districts.
Selected teams will receive expert guidance on designing, funding and implementing an evidence-based high-impact tutoring program. Participants will gain insights from leading SEAs, LEAs, nonprofits and community partners, learning best practices and connecting with peers at various stages of program development.
Impact of RFA’s Previous High-Impact Tutoring Learning Series:
- 95% of the teams reported making progress towards implementing or expanding their high-impact tutoring programs, including strengthening implementation strategy, deepening stakeholder relationships, and identifying new funding.
- 100% of participants said the learning series met their expectations.
- 100% would recommend the experience to a colleague.
“I was able to hear different ways in which high-impact tutoring is being implemented across the nation. This is helping us refine our model with assurance that the changes won’t decrease quality.”
– Participant in RFA’s 2024 High-Impact Tutoring Learning Series
Key Dates:
- Applications due: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
- Applicants will be notified by: Wednesday, March 25, 2025
- Sprint Kickoff: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
- Duration: 7 sessions running over 7 weeks (April 15 – May 27, 2025, on Tuesdays from 2:30 – 4 p.m. ET
APPLY HERE ▶
Sprint Goals & Objectives:
Participating teams will work through a 7-session online learning curriculum with a cohort of peers from state and local education agencies across the nation. By the end of the sprint, participants will:
- Understand the 8 key design principles of an effective and evidence-based high-impact tutoring program
- Understand how a high-impact tutoring program can advance student achievement goals
- Understand how to apply the 8 key design principles of high-impact tutoring to define evidence in requests for proposals (RFP), contracts and project charters
- Understand and be able to apply evidence-based spending strategies to increase the impact of investments in high-impact tutoring
- Identify federal, state and local funding sources they can use for high-impact tutoring
- Learn from state and local education agencies that have implemented effective high-impact tutoring programs and apply those lessons to their local context
- Learn how to use data in designing, evaluating and improving high-impact tutoring programs
At the end of the sprint, participants will have created an action plan that may include:
- A draft RFP, contract or project charter that defines and prioritizes the key design principles of an evidence-based high-impact tutoring program
- A high-impact tutoring model that reflects the evidence base and local capacity
- A scope of work for an evidence-based budget
- At least one potential funding source identified to launch, expand or sustain a tutoring program
- A data collection and evaluation plan
- A concrete timeline and next steps for implementation
SPRINT DETAILS:
- When: Weekly 1.5 hour sessions on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. ET from April 15 – May 27, 2025
- Where: Virtually via virtual workshops, coaching and cohort discussions on Zoom. Between virtual sessions, teams will have access to resources and discussion boards via the Results Network, RFA’s secure online collaboration platform.
WHO SHOULD APPLY:
Teams from state and local education agencies who are interested in implementing, expanding, or strengthening the impact of effective high-impact tutoring programs in their states and schools.
TEAM REQUIREMENTS:
- At least 2 members, although 3+ are recommended
- At least one participant from a state or local education agency (public school districts, public charter schools, public charter networks, etc.) with oversight over the agency’s high-impact tutoring program
- At least one participant from a state or local education agency (public school districts, public charter schools, public charter networks, etc.) with the authority and support to modify the policies, practices, and content of an RFP/NOFO and/or contract to strengthen the role that evidence plays (e.g., Chief Financial Officer, Chief Budget Officer, Procurement Director, Grant Manager)
- Recommended to include team members in the following office or titles:
- School leaders, educators, union (as appropriate)
- Families, Caregivers, and/or Family Engagement Office
- School board members
- Budget/Procurement
- Federal Programs
- Director of Expanded Learning (or similar)
- Community-based partners/advocacy organizations
- Tutoring providers
ABOUT THE SPRINT FACILITATORS:
Weekly sessions will be designed and led by:
- National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA), a program housed at Stanford University that offers schools, local education agencies, states and tutoring providers open access tools and technical assistance for implementing and improving high-impact tutoring programs.
- Results for America (RFA), a non-profit organization that works with governments to identify and implement evidence-based policies and practices. Over the last several years, RFA has successfully run various Solutions Sprints, supporting over 100 jurisdictions in implementing evidence-based solutions and benchmarking their progress towards better outcomes for their communities.
QUESTIONS?
Email: [email protected]
Apply for the Sprint by Wednesday, March 19 ▶
WHY IMPLEMENT HIGH-IMPACT TUTORING?
Rigorous research has shown that high-impact tutoring can accelerate learning for a wide range of students, particularly those who have fallen behind academically. A review of nearly 200 studies found that high-impact tutoring is one of a few school-based interventions that produce large, positive effects on both math and reading. For students from lower income families, tutoring has been shown to be one of the most effective educational approaches to improve academic achievement.
Tutoring is considered high-impact if it:
- Provides school-day tutoring sessions three or more times per week, for a minimum of 10 weeks.
- Pairs groups of three or fewer students with a consistent, well-trained and supported tutor.
- Uses high-quality instructional materials aligned with classroom content.
- Regularly assesses student progress and tailors instruction to meet their needs.
Go deeper: Read an EdResearch for Action brief examining the evidence for high-impact tutoring and outlining proven design principles of effective programs. Explore best practices for implementing a high-impact tutoring program on Results for America’s Economic Mobility Catalog.
Why now: The latest “Nation’s Report Card” confirms that most students have yet to recover from pandemic learning loss, despite historic federal investments. With widening achievement gaps and uncertainty around federal funding, state and local education agencies must ensure every dollar drives real impact for students.
High-impact tutoring is one of the most effective ways to help students catch up, yet fewer than half of schools (37%) offered it at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Schools cite funding, staffing and scheduling as key barriers. But there are sustainable solutions to expand access to this proven strategy – ensuring more students get the support they need to succeed.
A successful model in Chicago: Read a case study of how Chicago Public Schools implemented high-impact math tutoring and is doubling – and sometimes tripling – the amount of math over 2,500 students learn each year.