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Literacy Tutoring for Baltimore: What We Know, Where We Are, and How to Move Forward

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Literacy Tutoring for Baltimore: What We Know, Where We Are, and How to Move Forward Literacy Tutoring for Baltimore: What we know, where we are, and how to move forward March 2021 Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the many organizations and individuals who generously contributed to this report by participating in interviews, providing programmatic data, and reviewing written drafts. Matthew Barrow, Baltimore City Public Schools Nancy Madden, Tutoring with the Office of Teaching and Learning Lightning Squad Joshua Bailey, Baltimore City Public Schools Mary Obrecht, Brown Memorial Tutoring Office of Teaching and Learning Natasha Ramberg, Experience Corps Jarrod Bolte, Improving Education Martha Socolar, Brown Memorial Tutoring Shamoyia Gardiner, Strong Schools Maryland Young Song, Johns Hopkins Tutorial Program Buzzy Hettleman, Education Advocate Marc Stein, Baltimore Education Laura Jones, Consultant, formerly with Research Consortium Baltimore City Public Schools Office of Christine Sysantos, Tutoring with the Teaching and Learning Lightning Squad Andrew Karas, Springboard Collaborative Lindsay Sullivan, Amplify Janise Lane, Baltimore City Public Schools Office Rudi Zellman, The Literacy Lab of Teaching and Learning Jeffrey Zwillenberg, Reading Partners Barbara Laster, Towson University Dr. Robert Slavin and his wife, Nancy Madden, are the leaders and co-founders of the Success for All Foundation, and they developed the Tutoring with the Lightning Squad (TWLS) program based on their research. Slavin did not participate in the research and writing of Part Two of this report, but Madden was a key informant for the discussion of TWLS given her on-going role with the program. Slavin reviewed and commented on the draft and helped craft the report’s recommendations. The Abell Foundation has funded or is currently funding tutoring interventions profiled in this report including: Reading Partners, Literacy Lab, Springboard Collaborative, and Tutoring with the Lightning Squad. The Abell Foundation Suite 2300 111 S. Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202-6174 Cover photo: Shutterstock TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................2 PART ONE: Effective Tutoring Approaches for Struggling Elementary School Readers .....................6 PART TWO: The Baltimore Landscape .......................... 14 PART THREE: Conclusions and Recommendations .......35 REFERENCES ..................................................................39 Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 March 2021 2 Literacy Tutoring for Baltimore: What we know, where we are, and how to move forward by Stephanie Safran and Robert E. Slavin EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For students struggling in reading, academic What Is Tutoring? Tutoring is defined as tutoring—either 1-to-1 or in small groups— 1-to-1 or small-group instruction that is has been found to be the most effective intended to rapidly improve the learning of intervention. This is especially critical struggling students. In elementary schools, considering the negative impact that COVID-19 tutoring is used primarily in reading and is school building closures have had on students, a proven intervention. Although it may also compounding the number of students already be effective in secondary schools, there are behind prior to the pandemic. currently no U.S. reading programs and only two U.S. math programs with strong evidence Part One of this report defines tutoring of effectiveness. The average proven tutoring and summarizes the national research base program for elementary reading has an effect on its effectiveness. Part Two describes size of +0.41, equivalent to an increase from the current landscape of literacy tutoring the 50th to the 60th percentile, and to about supports available to students in Baltimore five additional months of learning. These are City, including an examination of the existing very large impacts. evidence on models’ effectiveness, as well as a discussion of opportunities and challenges The Need and the Opportunity: Creating a inherent in scaling up existing programs. Marshall Plan for Tutoring in Baltimore City. The report concludes with Part Three, The DIBELS literacy assessments administered recommendations for next steps. at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year indicated that approximately 18,000 of Part One: Effective Tutoring 25,000 kindergarten to fifth grade students Approaches for Struggling in City Schools were reading below or far Elementary School Readers below proficient. City Schools—with federal, state, and local assistance—needs to invest in The Baltimore City Public School System (City services for students that are powerful enough Schools) faces a major challenge as it begins to move them forward as rapidly as possible. to re-open its school buildings following the Proven tutoring is the best example of such COVID-19 closures. Although City Schools services. Fortunately, City Schools has begun invested in high-quality remote teaching and this investment and planning. learning systems, many students have been unable to take full advantage due to lack of Cost-Effectiveness. Recent research on technology and challenging conditions within tutoring has established that cost-effective their homes and communities. As a result, forms of tutoring can be impactful. Teaching many students will be far behind grade-level assistants often obtain the same outcomes expectations, in addition to the many students as certified teachers, and well-structured who were already far behind before the programs in small groups can be nearly as pandemic began. Swift action, therefore, effective as 1-to-1 tutoring. is required. Literacy Tutoring for Baltimore Executive Summary 3 The following are best practices gleaned from Part Two: The Baltimore Landscape successful elementary literacy tutoring programs: For this report, local literacy tutoring programs 1. Successful programs use a phonetic for grades K-5 were identified that: (1) provide approach that emphasizes phonemic services during the school year; (2) serve awareness, phonics, comprehension, students 1-to-1 or in small groups; (3) provide fluency, and vocabulary. services during the school day, by someone 2. Successful tutoring programs almost explicitly dedicated to literacy tutoring; and invariably use structured, sequenced (4) use a structured model, including targeted approaches, with specific teacher’s tutor training and support to implement manuals and materials. the model. 3. In successful programs, tutors almost Seven elementary literacy tutoring programs always have some college education. were identified as providing services at scale in Baltimore City. 4. “Paid volunteers” (i.e., AmeriCorps members paid a living stipend for • Experience Corps: Places volunteers working full-time) can work well as aged 50+ in schools to support professional tutors. elementary literacy development through tutoring in both small-group 5. Successful programs are provided and 1-to-1 formats. during the instructional day to increase student participation. • Literacy Lab: One-to one tutoring that utilizes a menu of 10 leveled 6. Successful programs provide at least 60 interventions that address development sessions, generally around 30 minutes of phonemic awareness and phonics per session 3-5 times per week. skills, as well as basic fluency skills. 7. Professional development provides • Reading Partners: Mobilizes a large in-service training that includes volume of local volunteers who tutor simulations with actual students or 1-to-1 in Baltimore City Schools, with with peers, plus ongoing monitoring a proprietary curriculum designed for and coaching. ease of use. 8. Effective tutors maintain close contact • Springboard Collaborative: Offers with classroom teachers, to discuss a multifaceted model that aims to progress of students, and also increase teacher capacity and parental collaborate closely with supervisors and engagement while providing targeted other tutors. student literacy support. 9. It is best to implement proven • Tutoring with the Lightning Squad: tutoring programs across the board, One-to-four tutoring in which pairs of not for each tutor or school to make similarly skilled students who take turns up their own approaches based on acting as “coach” while they read stories, general principles. complete activities, and practice skills. Abell Foundation www.abell.org @abellfoundation P: 410-547-1300 March 2021 4 • City Schools Tier II Fundations Cost and funding. The range for models Interventionist Program (City providing services in small-group settings in Schools Office of Teaching and Baltimore was $800-$1,200 per student, while Learning): Places specially trained the range for programs serving students in a paraprofessionals within 14 schools to 1-to-1 setting was $1,200-$2,000. act as reading tutors in grades K-2. City Schools currently leverages funding from • Amplify mCLASS Tutoring Program a variety of sources to support literacy tutoring (a City Schools vendor): Provides services, including federal and state grant diagnostic assessment and data funds. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, analysis; recently implemented its new federal and state funding is expected to mCLASS remote Tutoring program for infuse City Schools and provide opportunities struggling readers as a result of to expand implementation. the pandemic. Part Three: Conclusions and The first five programs listed above are run Recommendations by non-profit entities; the remaining two To tackle the unprecedented challenge programs represent newer initiatives by City to
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