Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of...

Future Forward, a literacy tutoring and parent engagement program for K-2 students

Reviewed

K-12 Education
Somewhat accurately reported
Credible positive finding

Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (July 2023) published long-term RCT findings for Future Forward – a program providing up to two years of literacy tutoring, along with parental engagement, to students in low-income schools starting in grades K-2. This well-conducted RCT found highly promising, but not definitive, evidence of a sustained gain (1/3 of a grade level) in reading achievement through seven-year follow-up.

Future Forward leverages both tutoring and parent engagement to support the literacy development of early primary students. In 2010, Future Forward was awarded an Investing in Innovations grant to develop and test its impact in seven Milwaukee Public Schools, primarily serving Black and Latinx students. A randomized control trial evaluation found 2 years of participation had positive impacts on foundational literacy, reading achievement, and school attendance (Jones & Christian, 2021). We followed participants 5 years past the end of the i3 study to determine whether benefits were sustained.  Students receiving Future Forward continued to demonstrate improved reading achievement, ,  school attendance,  and were less likely to be placed into special education. Even considering this, Future Forward participants fell behind in their reading development over time.

Full Study Report

Future Forward leverages both tutoring and parent engagement to support the literacy development of early primary students. In 2010, Future Forward was awarded an Investing in Innovations grant to develop and test its impact in seven Milwaukee Public Schools, primarily serving Black and Latinx students. A randomized control trial evaluation found 2 years of participation had positive impacts on foundational literacy, reading achievement, and school attendance (Jones & Christian, 2021). We followed participants 5 years past the end of the i3 study to determine whether benefits were sustained. Students receiving Future Forward continued to demonstrate improved reading achievement  but not  school attendance, and they were less likely to be placed into special education. Even considering this, Future Forward participants fell behind in their reading development over time.

No-Spin’s Study Overview

High quality RCT of Future Forward – a literacy tutoring and parent engagement program in low-income schools starting in grades K-2 – finds highly promising, but not definitive, evidence of a sustained gain (1/3 of a grade level) in reading achievement through seven-year follow-up.

Program:

  • Future Forward provides 30 minutes of one-on-one tutoring three times a week for up to two years, starting in K-2, by trained paraprofessionals or volunteers. The program also engages families, through home visits and other activities, to support child reading outside of school.
  • The program serves students of all abilities (not just struggling readers). The program cost is approximately $2,700 per child.

Study Design:

  • The study randomly assigned 576 K-2 students to Future Forward (treatment) or usual school services (control). 95% of the students were low-income and 92% were Black or Hispanic.
  • Based on careful review, this was a high-quality RCT (e.g., baseline balance, valid analyses, sample attrition within acceptable levels).

Findings:

  • The study found a sustained impact on district test scores in reading in years 3-7 after study entry (effect size of approximately 0.15 each year, equating to 1/3 of a grade level in year 7). These effects were statistically significant in years 3-5 but not 6-7 — so are highly promising but not definitive.
  • The study also found a statistically significant reduction in special education placements at the seven-year mark  (9% treatment vs 15% control).
  • The study found no statistically significant impact on student attendance as measured in years 4-7 after study entry.

Comment:

  • This is an important study - very few high-quality RCTs of tutoring have had long-term follow-up to see if effects endure or (as too often occurs in education) fade over time.

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