Examining the impact of a tutoring program implemented with community support on math proficiency and growth

Abstract

The current study evaluated the impact of a math tutoring program delivered in 20 schools to students in 4th through 8th grades by community members over one academic year. Students were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Multi-level linear and generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate group differences in post-test scores and the probability of attaining the spring proficiency benchmark on two increasingly distal measures of math achievement. Intent-to-treat analyses identified higher achievement scores among students assigned to treatment on a measure of fact fluency and a computer adaptive measure of overall math achievement. Students assigned to treatment also had a higher probability of reaching grade-level benchmarks on the computer adaptive test. No statistically significant effects were observed on a state proficiency test. Implications for significant and null findings are discussed within the context of intervention content and delivery.

Keywords: Community-supports; Mathematics intervention; RCT; Tier 2; Tutoring.