Effects of High-Impact Tutoring on Student Attendance: Evidence from the OSSE HIT Initiative in the District of Columbia. EdWorkingPaper No. 24-1107

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Effects of High-Impact Tutoring on Student Attendance: Evidence from the OSSE HIT Initiative in the District of Columbia. EdWorkingPaper No. 24-1107
Language: English
Authors: Monica G. Lee, Susanna Loeb, Carly D. Robinson, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2024.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 45
Publication Date: 2024
Sponsoring Agency: Smith Richardson Foundation
Arnold Ventures
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
High Schools
Descriptors: Tutoring, Attendance, Academic Achievement, Achievement Gains, COVID-19, Pandemics, Middle School Students, Learner Engagement, Language Arts, Mathematics Education, Elementary School Students, High School Students, Grade Level Differences, Racial Differences, Students with Disabilities, Social Differences, Individual Differences, School Schedules
Geographic Terms: District of Columbia
Abstract: Student absenteeism, which skyrocketed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has negative consequences for student engagement and achievement. This study examines the impact of the High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) Initiative, implemented by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington DC, on reducing absenteeism. The HIT initiative was designed to mitigate learning loss by providing additional academic supports with a focus on students affected by the pandemic's disruptions. Leveraging detailed daily school attendance and tutoring session data, we employ a within-student approach with student and date fixed effects to isolate the causal effect of having a scheduled tutoring session on daily school attendance. We find that the likelihood of being absent decreases by 1.2 percentage points on days when students have a scheduled tutoring session; this translates to a 7.0% reduction in absenteeism. These effects are most pronounced among middle school students and those with extreme absenteeism in the prior year, with reductions of 13.7% and 7.0%, respectively. Furthermore, key features of high-impact tutoring, such as in-school delivery and smaller tutor-to-student ratios, amplify the effect. These findings underscore the dual benefits of high-impact tutoring for both academic and engagement outcomes, highlighting its potential as a scalable strategy to addressing chronic absenteeism and promoting equitable access to supportive educational environments. [The DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education partnered in this research.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED665349
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Student absenteeism, which skyrocketed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has negative consequences for student engagement and achievement. This study examines the impact of the High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) Initiative, implemented by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington DC, on reducing absenteeism. The HIT initiative was designed to mitigate learning loss by providing additional academic supports with a focus on students affected by the pandemic's disruptions. Leveraging detailed daily school attendance and tutoring session data, we employ a within-student approach with student and date fixed effects to isolate the causal effect of having a scheduled tutoring session on daily school attendance. We find that the likelihood of being absent decreases by 1.2 percentage points on days when students have a scheduled tutoring session; this translates to a 7.0% reduction in absenteeism. These effects are most pronounced among middle school students and those with extreme absenteeism in the prior year, with reductions of 13.7% and 7.0%, respectively. Furthermore, key features of high-impact tutoring, such as in-school delivery and smaller tutor-to-student ratios, amplify the effect. These findings underscore the dual benefits of high-impact tutoring for both academic and engagement outcomes, highlighting its potential as a scalable strategy to addressing chronic absenteeism and promoting equitable access to supportive educational environments. [The DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education partnered in this research.]