Stanford/NSSA Randomized Controlled Trial (23-24)

We’re proud to share the results of the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a virtual early literacy tutoring program—a study featuring OnYourMark Education and published by researchers from Stanford University’s National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA).

About the Study

Title: The Effects of Virtual Tutoring on Young Readers: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors: Susanna Loeb, Sarah Novicoff, Cynthia Pollard, Carly Robinson, Sara White

Date Published: October 16, 2023

This study evaluated the impact of OnYourMark’s virtual, science-of-reading-based tutoring during the 2022–23 school year. Across 12 schools in the southern U.S., kindergarten through second grade students participated in high-dosage virtual tutoring—four sessions per week, 20 minutes each, from September through May.

Students were randomly assigned to:

• 1:1 tutoring (N = 510)
• 1:2 tutoring (N = 570)
• Business-as-usual control group (N = 1,005)

Key Findings

• Students assigned to OnYourMark tutoring scored ~0.08 SD higher on end-of-year early literacy assessments than control group peers.
• Lower-performing students saw even greater gains (0.18 SD).
• First graders in 1:1 tutoring saw the greatest benefit (0.19 SD).
• The study provides early evidence that virtual tutoring is an effective and scalable approach, particularly in settings where in-person tutoring may not be feasible.

Access the Full Study

You can read the full report and access related materials on Stanford’s National Student Support Accelerator website.