From Evidence to Policy: Scaling High-Impact Tutoring Through Statewide Design and Implementation in New York

Abstract Book of the 8th Global Conference on Education and Teaching

Year: 2026

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From Evidence to Policy: Scaling High-Impact Tutoring Through Statewide Design and Implementation in New York

Jacquelyn Martell, Yomika Bennett

ABSTRACT:

High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) has emerged as one of the most rigorously studied and effective interventions for accelerating student learning, particularly for students experiencing persistent opportunity gaps. This paper examines how evidence-based tutoring models can be translated into durable public policy, drawing on New York State’s recent efforts to scale HIT through both city-level implementation and statewide legislative design.
Over the past four years, Education Reform Now New York has led statewide efforts to advance HIT as a core academic recovery strategy, working closely with policymakers to author and advance a comprehensive legislative framework to establish a statewide program. This work builds on successful implementation in New York City, where in-school HIT models have demonstrated substantial gains in literacy and mathematics when delivered with fidelity, including consistent tutors, small group sizes, sufficient dosage, alignment to curriculum, and data-driven instruction.
The paper outlines the policy architecture behind New York’s proposed statewide HIT program, including funding design, implementation guardrails, and the development of a sustainable tutor pipeline. It also explores how embedding tutoring during the school day increases access, attendance, and effectiveness, while highlighting the importance of clear standards to ensure quality at scale. Drawing on outcome data from multiple New York districts and national research, the analysis demonstrates how strong policy design can protect public investment and drive measurable student outcomes.
This case study offers practical lessons for policymakers, educators, and system leaders seeking to move beyond pilot programs toward scalable, evidence-based tutoring solutions that advance equity and accelerate learning.

Keywords: education policy; high-impact tutoring; learning acceleration; public policy; statewide implementation