Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Award - Oklahoma Literacy Study

Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Award - Oklahoma Literacy Study

Funder: U.S. Department of Education

Award Recipient: Accelerate (in partnership with Oklahoma State Department of Education)

Program Status: Active - Multi-year study beginning 2026

Project Title: Multi-year study to improve literacy outcomes for students across Oklahoma and develop nationally relevant guidance for states seeking to scale tutoring cost-effectively

Overview:
This is a first-of-its-kind, multi-arm randomized controlled trial examining how tutoring delivery models affect both learning outcomes and cost efficiency. The project will provide high-impact tutoring support to approximately 6,000 K-5 students identified as performing below grade-level literacy benchmarks across urban and rural Oklahoma districts.

Geographic Scope: Oklahoma (K-5 students across urban and rural districts)

Focus Areas:

High-impact literacy tutoring for K-5 students

Virtual versus in-person tutoring delivery models

Group size variations

Dosage variations

Cost efficiency analysis

Sustainability guidance for states and districts nationwide

Evidence-based literacy instruction

Key Features:

Multi-arm randomized controlled trial design

Rigorous research methods (RCTs, data analysis, surveys, interviews)

Cost analysis embedded alongside implementation

Produces practical efficiency roadmap for states and districts

Independent evaluation by Mathematica

89% federally funded ($13.76M); 11% non-federal sources ($1.5M)

3-year implementation timeline

Tutoring Models:
1. Air Reading: Evidence-based virtual literacy tutoring to K-5 students, expanding access in urban and rural communities
2. Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI): Paraeducator-led, small-group literacy tutoring grounded in science of reading, leveraging existing school staff

Key Partners:

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE)

Air Reading

Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI) / Boston University Wheelock Institute for the Science of Education (WISE)

Mathematica (evaluation)

Expected Outcomes:

Measurable gains in reading proficiency for high-need K-5 students

Guidance for states on scalable, cost-effective tutoring implementation

Integration into OSDE's statewide High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) initiative

National relevance and replicability

Contact: [email protected]