Intensive tutoring to help students catch up and reduce youth violence
RFA-CE-23-004 Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Academic Remediation on Violence
This project tests whether giving students intensive catch-up tutoring after pandemic learning loss can lower their chances of later involvement in violence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112285 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a parent's view, this work asks whether extra one-on-one or small-group tutoring can do more than raise test scores and might also reduce youth involvement in violence. The team is partnering with Chicago Public Schools to re-analyze two past randomized tutoring programs from 2013–2015 and to run a new randomized rollout of high‑dosage tutoring, comparing students who received tutoring with those who did not. Researchers will link school records to government administrative data on violence-related outcomes to see if better academic outcomes translate into fewer arrests, assaults, or other violent incidents. The aim is to inform whether large-scale tutoring programs could offset increases in violence tied to pandemic-era learning loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are school-aged children in Chicago Public Schools who experienced pandemic-era learning loss and are eligible for high‑dosage tutoring programs.
Not a fit: Adults outside the school system, students who already meet grade-level expectations, or people outside participating districts are unlikely to benefit directly from the program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show that expanding intensive tutoring reduces youth violence and guide policies to prevent violence after pandemic learning losses.
How similar studies have performed: Previous trials have consistently shown high‑dosage tutoring improves test scores, but using randomized trials to link tutoring directly to reductions in violence is largely new and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ludwig, Jens — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Ludwig, Jens
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.