It Takes a Village (Plus AI): A Randomized Controlled Trial of Hybrid Human-AI Math Tutoring at Scale

This project proposes a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate Personalized Learning Squared (PLUS), a hybrid human-AI tutoring program aimed at accelerating math learning among middle school students, particularly those from underserved communities. Tutoring boosts achievement, especially for students furthest behind, but it is costly and difficult to scale. Adaptive math software can deliver personalized practice at scale but often yields uneven engagement and results. PLUS integrates the strengths of both approaches by pairing remote human tutors with an AI-powered dashboard that synthesizes real-time and historical data from widely used platforms (e.g., iReady, IXL, MATHia). The dashboard helps tutors monitor student goals and target students most in need while also providing AI-driven professional training to improve practice. The confirmatory research question asks whether PLUS improves student achievement on state math assessments compared with business-as-usual (BaU), defined as Tier I instruction where students have, at minimum, access to math software. Exploratory analyses will examine impacts on formative assessments, effort, and software engagement. The study will recruit 20–25 schools across multiple states including Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Oregon involving approximately 240–300 classrooms and 4,800–6,000 students. Findings will provide rigorous causal evidence on the scalability of hybrid human-AI tutoring and inform cost-effective strategies to reduce opportunity gaps in math learning.

This project is supported through the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute (LEVI), in collaboration with J-PAL North America, which builds off of a previous pilot project.