Evidence supports Air Reading

By Nathan Storey, Johns Hopkins University

Research consistently highlights the benefits of tutoring for improving student learning and closing achievement gaps. However, scaling up in-person tutoring can be challenging in certain settings. As a result, an increasing number of studies are exploring the efficacy of virtual tutoring as a potential solution. A recent study conducted in spring 2024 of the Air Reading program adds valuable insight to this discussion.

Air Reading is a virtual tutoring program providing skills-based instruction in reading, delivered via paid tutors using a virtual synchronous instruction platform. With a 1:3 tutor-to-student ratio, the program is intended to strike a balance between scalability and individualization.

A randomized controlled trial of Air Reading was conducted in a rural Texas district with 418 first-sixth grade students across six schools. Tutored students received four 40-minute sessions per week for one semester. At post-test, Air Reading students outperformed control students on the NWEA MAP reading assessment (ES = + 0.12), equivalent to an average of 1.6 additional months of learning. Treatment students attended an average of 39.8 sessions of tutoring, and those who completed 40 or more sessions demonstrated significantly higher gains than those with fewer sessions (ES = + 0.17).