The Effects of Virtual Tutoring on Young Readers: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial
Robinson, C. D., Pollard, C., Novicoff, S., White, S., & Loeb, S. · 2024
grade Brctindependentreplicated
Sample
2,085 K-2 students (510 1:1 / 570 2:1 / 1,005 control), 12 Texas charter schools
Population
K-2 early readers; 20-min sessions 4x/week during school day; paid tutors; science-of-reading curriculum.
Design
First RCT of virtual early-reading tutoring with a RANDOMIZED 1:1 vs 2:1 ratio contrast.
Key findings
Structured paid virtual tutoring works but at ~1/4-1/2 of in-person effects (0.05-0.12 vs ~0.3), at ~1/3 the cost ($1,400/student). A real cost-effectiveness option for early literacy where in-person staffing fails.
Genetic confound
Randomized.
Replication notes
Complements Spanish online-math RCT (~0.26); structured paid virtual beats volunteer/opt-in virtual.
Cost
$1,400/student/yr.
DOI / URL
10.3102/01623737241288845
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early literacy (DIBELS-8), pooled | SD | +0.05 to +0.08 | standardized | end of year | business-as-usual | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| 1:1 arm | SD | +0.12 (preferred sample); 2:1 ~half that; first-graders +0.20; weakest readers +0.15 | standardized | end of year | business-as-usual | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
Cited by
- Tutoring — the honest effect, the Bloom 2-sigma myth, and what survives scalestrong supportconf: highgc: low