High-Dosage Tutoring in Oregon: An Early Literacy Success Grant Guide

Summary

Oregon’s early literacy challenges need attention—and the state government is taking action.

Accelerate student growth with high-dosage, state-funded tutoring with ODOE-approved partner, OnYourMark Education.

Proven Model: 90% of 2nd graders tutored by OnYourMark surpassed growth benchmarks (Fall 2024)
Available Funding: Early Literacy Success Initiative + other state/federal sources
Act Now: Priority consideration ends August 1 for fall program launch

Oregon's Literacy Challenge—And Opportunity

2024 NAEP Results: A Wake-Up Call

Oregon’s 4th graders scored an average of 207 in reading—9 points below the national average (216). Nearly half (48%) lack basic proficiency, meaning

Nearly 1 in 2 students struggle with grade-level texts
Achievement gaps solidify before middle school

Portland Public Schools’ score of 204 reflects broader statewide trends, highlighting the need for continued support in both urban and rural areas.

For context, Massachusetts 4th graders (the top-performing state) scored 227, showing what’s possible with sustained investment in early literacy.

High-Dosage Tutoring Delivers

Proven Nationally…

Research shows schools implementing high-dosage tutoring see:

An average of 3-15 months of extra learning vs. traditional instruction, with the strongest gains for early literacy, especially when delivered in a high-dosage model (Nickow et al., 2020)
Strongest impact for the most at-risk learners—outperforming tech tools, peer learning, and teacher feedback (Dietrichson et al., 2017)

…And Proven by OnYourMark

In a randomized controlled trial by the National Student Support Accelerator:

OnYourMark students gained 2.5 months of reading skills in just 10 weeks
68% met or exceeded growth benchmarks vs. 42% in control groups
Most impacted were struggling readers, closing 58% of their gap to grade level

(Robinson et al., 2024)

Just exploring? Here's what to know about HDT.

Your Complete Guide to the Early Literacy Success Initiative

Oregon is investing $120 million to transform early literacy with high-dosage tutoring at the center of the initiative. Here’s how your district can leverage these non-competitive grants to deliver transformative reading support.

The Big Picture

Problem: Urban/rural gaps + systemic disparities (ELL, low-income, at-risk students) exacerbate reading gaps and limit opportunities for student success
Solution: Four programs working together—but the School District Grants ($120M, pending passage) are your fastest path to funded tutoring.

Oregon's Response

2023's Early Literacy Success Initiative

In 2023, Governor Kotek declared early literacy a "moral and economic imperative" after Oregon’s NAEP scores revealed nearly half of 4th graders lacked basic reading skills. The legislature responded with a $90 million moonshot: the Early Literacy Success Initiative.

2025's HB 3040 (Pending)

With HB 3040 advancing in 2025 (as of this publication, HB 3040 is awaiting signature by the governor), Oregon is doubling down, proposing $120M in new funding with a sharper equity focus.

Then vs. Now: Oregon’s Evolving HDT Funding

Key Aspect	2023 Program	HB 3040 Updates (2025)
Total Funding	$90M (2023-25)	$120M proposed (2025-27)
Equity Requirements	50% funds to schools with <50% proficiency	65% funds to schools with <40% proficiency + prioritized ELL/unhoused students
Tutor Training	Science of Reading + cultural responsiveness	2023 program + Dyslexia-specific strategies (e.g., Orton-Gillingham)
Deadline	Funds expired June 2025	New deadline: June 2027 (pending bill passage)
Reporting	Annual progress reports	Quarterly equity audits + public dashboards

These funds can be combined with federal funding opportunities to cover 100% of the cost for high-dose tutoring in your district.

Transforming Literacy Through GLEAM Grants

Since 2020, Massachusetts DESE has leveraged federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) funds through its GLEAM initiative (Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts). These grants empower school districts to:

Accelerate literacy outcomes for student groups with persistent achievement gaps
Implement Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) frameworks for differentiated ELA instruction
Expand evidence-based early literacy programs, including high-quality Pre-K

MTSS in Action: A data-driven framework providing tiered, linguistically appropriate support to help all students achieve grade-level proficiency.

More About GLEAM Grants

GLEAM-funded districts are required to demonstrate literacy growth through state assessments. Contact DESE via Mass Literacy for recent outcomes.
Is your district eligible? See if your district received GLEAM funds: FY25 GLEAM Grant Recipients

OnYourMark’s live virtual high-dosage tutoring model meets all GLEAM requirements for:

MTSS Tier 2 and Tier 3 literacy interventions
Progress monitoring with DESE-approved tools
DESE-approved literacy curricula

Step 1: Claim Your District's Share

School District Grants (Non-Competitive)

Who’s Eligible

All Oregon districts + K-5 charters
Priority given to schools with <40% literacy proficiency (new HB 3040 threshold)

Funding Flexibility

Use for:
- Tutoring (virtual or in-person)
- Tutor training (Science of Reading and/or dyslexia strategies)
- Materials (many well-known Science of Reading-based curricula approved)
25% match waived for rural/small districts

Pro tip: Blend HB 3040 funds with Title I to cover 100% of costs

Frequency: 2+ sessions/week for 10+ weeks

Group Size: 1:1 or small groups (max 1:3)

Curriculum: Science of Reading-aligned (UFLI, etc.)

Tutors: Certified in culturally responsive instruction and dyslexia interventions* (*new HB 3040 requirement)

OnYourMark is Oregon’s Top
High-Dosage Tutoring Partner

As an ODE-approved high-dosage tutoring provider, we’re already HB 3040-ready:

All OYM tutors receive ongoing professional development in literacy intervention best practices, including MTSS
We regularly monitor progress and share reports with our school partners, ensuring automatic compliance with equity reporting requirements
Grant application support at no cost

Get your district's funding plan today. →

Get Your Funding Plan

ODE Approved

MTSS-Aligned

Research-Backed

Low-Ratio Live Virtual High-Dosage Tutoring

Foundational literacy instruction that fits seamlessly into the school day:

20 minutes/day, 4x/week: Short bursts of high-impact tutoring during school hours
Science of Reading-aligned: Tutors trained in foundational reading skill instruction and DIBELS® methodologies
Low-ratio precision pairing: 1 or 2 students per tutor for peer engagement + individualized support
Real-time progress monitoring: Adjusts instruction biweekly based on DIBELS® and formative assessment data

Science of Reading-Based Curriculum

Rooted in the Science of Reading, our evidence-based approach targets foundational gaps with:

Systematic, explicit instruction: Scripted lessons for phonics, decoding, and fluency
DIBELS® benchmarking: Initial diagnostics pinpoint skill gaps
Biweekly progress monitoring: Adjusts lessons every 10 sessions
Low tutor-student ratio: Ensures personalized pacing + peer engagement

Proven Growth in Classrooms Nationwide

OnYourMark-tutored students are rapidly moving to grade-level proficiency.

2024-25 data shows a 175% increase in the number of students who were at or above grade-level benchmark from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
- This translates to a 21-percentage point increase in the number of students reading at or above grade level, moving from 12% to 33%.

Across the full year of tutoring, 54% of students met or exceeded their growth expectations, with a third of all students achieving "above" or "well above average" growth.*
- For students in the spring-only program, this number was even higher, at 64%.

*"Above average growth" = exceeding typical student progress for their grade level.

Curriculum Alignment with Science of Reading Programs

Our highly trained tutors prepare scripted, Science of Reading-based lessons customized to meet the individual needs of each student. Our curriculum supports classroom instruction and guides students toward grade-level proficiency. And our proven approach helps students make significant gains in reading, build confidence, and develop a love of learning.

Find out how high-dosage tutoring that leverages the Science of Reading can accelerate student literacy growth. →

High-Quality Early Literacy Tutors

Your students deserve the highest quality tutors available. And your teachers deserve a real instructional partner. That’s why we take a thoughtful and intentional approach to hiring and training our tutors: to make sure that your students and staff get the best.

OnYourMark tutors receive 60+ minutes of professional development (either asynchronous instruction or ongoing coaching from our subject matter experts) and 30 minutes of individualized coaching every week. This is in addition to the initial 24 hours of training before tutors begin working with students.

Our tutors demonstrate a commitment to our mission to ensure that the students we serve learn to read by 3rd grade and are genuinely excited to work with their students each day.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I love working with children and helping them reach their highest potential in learning. It is rewarding to see them learn new skills and experience success. I look forward to each session."
-Darlene Catabia
OnYourMark Tutor

Research-Backed Methodology

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted by the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) at Stanford University in SY2022-23 found that OnYourMark’s live virtual tutoring method works.

Kindergartners’ improvements in letter sound mastery were 13.4% higher than the control group, amounting to 24 additional days of school

First graders’ improvements in decoding were 28.4% higher than the control group, amounting to 51 additional days of school

Our impact is greatest on students who started furthest behind benchmark. Read the NSSA study for the full story.

Scalable and Affordable HDT Model

High-dosage tutoring from OnYourMark is accessible through state funding sources, including the Early Literacy Success Initiative grant. That means there are multiple funding options to ensure your students get all of the benefits of OnYourMark’s evidence-based approach.

What’s more, as a live virtual tutoring provider, OnYourMark’s solution fits within your current technology resources. And OnYourMark offers both 1:1 and 1:2 tutor-to-student tutoring models at different price points. Schools select the model that works best for their needs and their budget.

And because we are a non-profit organization under Cambiar Education, we work with our partner schools and districts to find funding sources to ease the financial burden of high-dosage tutoring.

slider_FirstLine Schools Data - web

slider_Lincoln Parish data - web

21.7% Of students exceeded expected growth
More than 1 in 2 students saw average, above, or well-above average growth

Average attendance rate of 87% for tutored students
3 Of every 5 students saw average, above, or well-above average growth

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About OnYourMark

Learning to read is at the heart of education, but only one-third of students in the U.S. read at grade level. Being able to read on grade level by 3rd grade is a strong predictor of future student success. Research proves a link between failure to reach this milestone and higher rates of high school dropout, severely limiting opportunities for success.

OnYourMark Education exists to close the literacy gap for students by building foundational literacy skills to help all students become strong readers. We partner with schools to strengthen their existing literacy instruction for Tier 2 and Tier 3 students by providing high-dosage virtual literacy tutoring to students during the school day. Our skilled tutors deliver personalized and engaging Science of Reading-based curriculum while building relationships that help developing readers succeed.

"OnYourMark is very strategic about activities to build relationships. And, it was so quick too! I was just amazed at how quickly the kids really connected to the tutors. You might think that it is harder to connect virtually, but for OnYourMark, it's not. They're just so mindful of the engagement and the relationships with students."

Lincoln

Dana Talley

Former Chief Academic Officer for Lincoln Parish

“We did a randomized controlled trial with OnYourMark and saw significant growth. For [other literacy programs], we did not get the best measurements for what we wanted to get out of it. And so OnYourMark is probably the single unqualified success of all of our tutoring programs.”

uplift

Nick Erber

Former Director of Acceleration for Uplift Education

"We had so many kids moving up different levels because now they’re able to sound out the words, they’re able to read the words… Again and that's why we’re using OnYourMark with our K-2 students: because of the quick turnarounds and the quick wins that you see.”

freedom

Dr. Hope Walker

Former Regional Director of Academic Acceleration for Freedom Prep

“OnYourMark has been a critical partner for us to support our struggling readers. The tutoring sessions are highly engaging and student data consistently reflects accelerated growth towards grade level benchmark. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the years to come."

Sabrina Pence

CEO of FirstLine Schools