State Superintendent Christina Grant, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Lewis Ferebee and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recently converged on Cardozo Education Campus to announce the expansion of a citywide high-impact tutoring program designed to accelerate student learning.
Since DCPS fully transitioned to in-person learning last year, nearly 4,000 students at nearly 60 schools have participated in a high-impact tutoring program. The infusion of $7 million will pave the way for 3,600 more young people to receive these services that have been credited with curbing COVID-related learning loss. .
In total, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) plans to spend $39 million in recovery funds and money from the Every Student Succeeds Act to engage 10,000 students within the next few months. During the Feb. 2 announcement, Grant said all District schools will have high-impact tutoring.
Upon students’ return from virtual learning, District officials have set their sights on learning recovery.
This funding cycle will allow nine providers to offer small group math and literacy tutoring under the supervision of an on-site coordinator. While some schools will receive providers, others will experience the expansion of already-existing services.
Partners of note include: George Washington University, American University, Horton’s Kids, Math Matters, City Tutor DC.
High-impact tutoring takes place throughout the school day, after school hours, weekends and during the summer, with all students qualifying for participation. Ferebee said tutors have received training that aligns with the Science of Reading curriculum, through which students engage material relevant to their stage of development.
“This is something we’re applying across the District to accelerate learning,” Ferebee said. “We’re nimble and can adjust. We ensure that the level of planning and development is available to our partners. Our partners participated in our training and we’re refining our strategies around the science of reading. We’re constantly assessing [student] mastery and we ensure proper training.”