A new approach to tutoring: University partnerships and community building

Jan 13, 2023 | EdTech, Tutoring Industry

By Christy M. Borders, Ed.D., Director, Illinois Tutoring Initiative, Illinois State University

Original publication by EdTech Chronicle

State leaders have their eyes on tutoring as a potential approach to counteract the academic effects of the pandemic as they continue to release their plans for spending their COVID-19 federal relief funds. And while tutoring has promising results for student learning, not all programs are created equal. As the director of the Illinois Tutoring Initiative (ITI), I’ve seen first-hand how high-impact, relationship-based tutoring in partnership with local colleges and universities is not only possible but is scalable, sustainable, and affects positive change for the communities served.

In 2021, in an effort to better support students, educators, and the broader community, the Illinois P-20 Council created a guide with evidence-based strategies to support learning renewal and student well-being, including high-impact tutoring.  As a result, the State of Illinois invested $25 million in high-impact tutoring as one part of their COVID-19 recovery plan.  The Illinois Tutoring Initiative involves strong partnerships across state agencies, higher education institutions, and K-12 priority school districts to support student learning in reading and math in grades 3-8, along with tutoring in high school math. 

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