Whether you are designing a new program or seeking to improve an existing one, deeply understanding your program’s value proposition, logic model, and the landscape in which your program operates will help to focus your efforts. These analyses will provide the foundation and context needed to design a cohesive, high-impact tutoring program.
OST Providers working to set up new tutoring programs can start with the steps below. Links associated with each step are from the Toolkit for Tutoring Programs or the District Playbook:
- Begin by assessing your program’s readiness to implement high-impact tutoring through this readiness assessment tool.
- Review Model Dimensions to understand the types of decisions needed when designing a new high-impact tutoring program.
- Identify which stakeholders are critical to success and determine the best way to engage them now and throughout the process. Consider assembling a design team, task force, or other stakeholder group, including parents and caregivers. Assembling a Task Force provides basic guidance and OST providers should also consider engaging national and local affiliates, schools and districts they partner with, other community organizations that provide programming to students in their program, and local higher education institutions.
- With the model dimensions and considerations in mind, you are ready to define your Program Focus (the grade levels/content areas) through conducting a landscape analysis to better understand the strengths, resources, and needs of the district and schools your students attend. The tools will guide you through developing a value proposition and logic model designed to address the program focus you identify.
Your program focus and initial model dimension decisions will provide the foundation and context needed to then estimate costs and choose the remaining model dimensions that will result in a cohesive and effective high-impact tutoring program.