Private tutoring is widely available in wealthier and more resourced communities, while gaps persist and widen for students furthest from opportunity. Our CityTutor program expands access to high-impact tutoring (HIT), a research-backed intervention proven to accelerate academic progress, improve student well-being, and provide consistent, relationship-based support where it is needed most.
CityTutor is the flagship high-impact tutoring program of CitySchools Collaborative. We support academic recovery and spread HIT services to more students throughout the region. HIT, also referred to as “high-dosage tutoring,” is a research-backed intervention proven to substantially accelerate academic progress and improve student well-being.
In small group or one-on-one settings, trained tutors and students meet frequently and consistently to develop their skills and deepen their understanding in either math or ELA (English Language Arts).
High-impact tutoring has become one of DC’s go-to strategies to build stronger, brighter futures for students.
Our work is driven by national standards and aligned with the growing body of research supporting HIT as a proven and effective academic practice.
Robust research, including research conducted on CitySchools Collaborative supports, demonstrates that tutored students are more likely to achieve academic goals and attend school at higher rates. A 2025 EmpowerK12 study found that students receiving high-impact tutoring in math made academic gains equal to nearly three additional months of instruction.
I feel very confident about learning new things with my tutor when I don’t understand my work.”
The single program that has made the biggest difference in Truth’s improved academic outcomes has been High-Impact Tutoring… It has made a critical difference for our students who have been struggling with math through these post-pandemic years.”
-Justin Lessek, Executive Director, Sojourner Truth PCS
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Join CityTutor DC on Wednesday, November 20, for A Brighter Future: Learnings from Transforming Teaching, as we celebrate key findings and lessons learned during the pilot year of our Transforming Teaching Pilot (TTP) initiative.
