Principal Investigator
James Kemple – Research Alliance for NYC Schools
Project Description
This study evaluates the impact, implementation, and cost of Saga Education’s virtual tutoring model for ninth grade students in New York City. The study uses propensity score matching to estimate impacts of the tutoring. The intervention includes a blend of live online tutoring and self-directed digital practice, targeted toward students identified as needing additional math support. The study will analyze multiple cohorts of high schools implementing the model and use administrative data, tutoring participation records, and qualitative data from interviews and focus groups to examine both outcomes and implementation. In addition to estimating impacts on math achievement, the study will investigate variation in student participation and dosage, identify barriers and facilitators to implementation, and estimate the per-student cost of delivering the virtual model to inform comparisons with more resource-intensive tutoring approaches.
Research Questions
- What is the impact of Saga’s virtual tutoring model on ninth grade students’ math achievement?
- How is the virtual tutoring model implemented in practice, including student participation, dosage, and variation across student subgroups?
- What are the key barriers and facilitators to implementation and engagement, and what is the cost per student of delivering the virtual model?









