Supercharge Your MTSS with High-Impact Tutoring

"We have to think about tutoring as part of the MTSS structures. It’s one more tool in the toolbox, ensuring consistent and reliable support for students."​ - Janet Wilson, Littera Education.

It may seem like a fantasy, but imagine a world in which every student receives the specific support they need to thrive academically. High-impact tutoring integrated into your MTSS framework can make this a reality. There is a growing body of evidence showing how this modality of intervention maximizes tiered supports. 

What is High-Impact Tutoring?

Not all tutoring is defined as high-impact tutoring. Janet Wilson, Senior VP at Littera Education, explains, "High-impact tutoring needs to be differentiated from other types of tutoring. This particular type of tutoring is really what gets the gains that people want to see." In order for tutoring to be high impact it has to have these things:

• High-quality classroom-aligned instructional materials
• Embedded within the school day
• Consistent, well-trained tutors delivering sessions frequently (ideally three times a week).
• Data used to identify students’ needs and inform tutoring sessions
• Small groups of max 3-4 students.

Benefits of High-Impact Tutoring within MTSS 

Schools with large academic gaps have to be creative in how they implement interventions for students in need of Tier 2 or 3 supports. There may not be sufficient personnel, space, or time to get the job done. High-impact tutoring is one of the most cost-effective ways to make an impact.  

Research has shown that tutoring 3 days a week over 36 weeks has a large positive effect on reading and math achievement. This type of tutoring allows for targeted instruction, specifically on foundational skills that young students struggle with, which will help them keep up with grade-level content. 

Students’ self-confidence benefits as well. Janet Wilson notes, "The tutor is working consistently with the student, building a relationship. We want to see that self-efficacy and the student's agency in the classroom improve."

Integrating High-Impact Tutoring into MTSS

Tutoring sessions are a Tier 2 intervention, an added layer of support for students who are also receiving Tier 1 core instruction. For example, students might meet with their tutor in WIN time within a secondary schedule or participate in stations within an elementary classroom.  Some districts have found that partnering with a tutoring organization is the best way to meet the need. Littera Education offers a solution to facilitate in-person or online tutoring, manage the tutors, and track student progress. 

🎧 Hear more about high-impact tutoring on this episode of Schoolin' Around.

For tutoring to have the most impact, it should align with existing grade-level benchmarks and assessments and be designed to support core instruction. Collaboration between teachers and tutors is essential to maximizing student progress. The Branching Minds MTSS platform makes it easy to capture all the goals and progress of students participating in tutoring.

Success Story

Emily Myers, MTSS Director, shares the success Orange County Schools in North Carolina have seen: "Since integrating high-impact tutoring with our MTSS framework, we've seen remarkable improvements in our students' performance and engagement. The tutors are consistent, the students get to know them well, and as a result, they're able to make significant progress." She adds, "We've been able to increase the number of students performing at or above benchmark and decrease the number of students at high risk."

🖥️Watch this webinar to learn more about Orange County's Success with Branching Minds and Littera.

How Branching Minds Supports High-Impact Tutoring

To facilitate the complex task of managing data and monitoring progress, Orange County is using the Branching Minds platform to help create targeted goals and intervention plans for students receiving tutoring. The platform manages the heavy lifting of collecting and calibrating MTSS intervention data. 

• Streamlined Data Management: Centralizes all student data, including tutoring progress, making it easier for educators to access and utilize information.
• Comprehensive Support Library: Access a robust library of evidence-based interventions and strategies tailored to each student's needs.
• Facilitating Communication: Holds documentation for communication between teachers, tutors, and families, ensuring everyone is informed and involved in the student’s progress.
• Automated Reporting: Generate detailed reports and charts to visualize student progress and the effectiveness of interventions.