Sound Partners
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help address educational disparities. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program basics
- Phonics-based tutoring program for students grades K–3 with below-average reading skills
- Designed to be used by tutors without professional training, consists of scripted lessons in phonics skills
- Can be provided as in-school or after-school programming, as well as home instruction
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Strong (second-highest tier)
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Strong (second-highest tier)
Ranked as having the second-highest level of evidence by the U.S. Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse
Target population
Elementary school-aged children
Program cost
Approximately $240 for a full set of program materials
Implementation locations
- Seattle, WA
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Demonstrated positive impacts on alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension
- Improved alphabetics by an average of 21 percentile points
- Improved fluency by an average of 19 percentile points
- Improved comprehension by 21 percentile points
Keys to successful implementation
- Schedule a specific time teach day for tutoring appointments.
- Holding Sound Partners sessions every day helps build stronger relationships between tutors and students, helping achieve better outcomes.
- Design feedback loops to help tutors, who often have limited professional training, to adhere as closely as possible to the program model.
- Keep tutor schedules flexible to accommodate student after school activities or other obligations.
