Connecticut is launching an intensive math tutoring program for students in grades 6-9, who suffered from learning loss during the pandemic, state leaders said.
State education officials approved the Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring Program after the 2021-22 state assessments highlighted a decline in math scores among Connecticut’s students. According to the assessment, students in grades 6-8 may be a year or more behind in math.
The state Department of Education will allocate $10 million of its federal COVID-19 recovery funds to support the program. Gov. Ned Lamont and Charlene Russell-Tucker, commissioner for the state Department of Education, recently announced the news.
Ajit Gopalakrishnan, chief performance officer for the Connecticut State Department of Education, said the tutoring program would likely be implemented during school hours. Gopalakrishnan believes students who are enrolled will experience academic improvement.
“If you have tutors working in small groups, ideally no more than four, ideally during the school day, working in concert with the teacher, the evidence bears out higher grades in the classes they take, higher test scores, fewer course failures,” Gopalakrishnan said.
Lamont said when implemented correctly, this nationally recognized educational strategy can assist children in learning one to two years of math beyond what they might typically achieve in the classroom.
The state Department of Education is scheduled to make this tutoring program available in Connecticut schools during the 2023-24 academic year.
