OU Expands Transformative Tutoring Initiative Following Strong Early Results

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NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma’s Transformative Tutoring Initiative in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education has received $3 million in state funding to extend its high-impact tutoring program to Oklahoma City’s public and charter high schools. The state’s financial commitment to the tutoring program follows a three-year scientific study that found impressive gains in math performance among participating students.

One of the hallmarks of the TTI is its focus on serving high-needs ninth-grade students. Most high school students participating in the program have an average achievement level at the 25^th percentile and come from low-income households. With the passage of House Bill 1287, the initiative has expanded its reach significantly. It is now serving 15 high schools and has 140 OU students serving as tutors. This expanded program puts OU’s College of Education at the forefront of innovative, statewide efforts to strengthen student success in mathematics. 

“The math tutoring initiative has been a tremendous success at Capitol Hill High School,” said Shari Gately, principal. “The growth we have seen for these students and the gaps that have been closed are preparing students to tackle more challenging math in the coming years of high school.”

Each tutor, who is an OU student thoroughly prepared beforehand, typically works with a group of three high school students for three hours a week for an entire school year. TTI tutors receive scholarships for their participation in this program. Tutors must also participate in weekly training sessions that focus on effective instructional strategies and approaches to building positive relationships with high school students.

“This measure represents a smart investment in our students and our state’s future,” state Sen. Adam Pugh said. “By creating a high-dosage math tutoring pilot program through the University of Oklahoma’s College of Education, we’re ensuring students who may be struggling have the tools they need to thrive in high school, graduate on time and pursue their goals with confidence. Investing in proven, high-impact tutoring is one of the most effective ways to close learning gaps and build stronger outcomes for Oklahoma students.”

“Intensive tutoring is needed everywhere – in our small rural schools as well as in our urban schools,” said Cristina Moershel, director of the TTI. “If we can help students develop critical thinking skills while also developing their math skills, it will help them be more productive adults, no matter where their careers take them.”

Four years ago, the program started in just two schools. Results have consistently demonstrated considerable learning gains as students worked in small groups with tutors several times per week. A $6 million gift from the Randall and Lenise Stephenson Family Foundation launched the pilot program in 2021. Over the first three years of the program, researchers compared small-group, high-impact tutoring with traditional remedial math classes in several high schools across a handful of districts. Both groups of students made progress, but those in the tutoring program gained nearly an extra half-year of math learning. Before the current school year, TTI had served over 1,500 students at 10 high schools.