Students Working with Experience Corps Tutors Show 60% More Progress Than Students not Served by the Program, Members Reap Health Benefits

Results of an independent research study document what many supporters of Experience Corps already believe: Experience Corps has a significant, positive impact on both students and members.

Major media outlets including Ed Week, The Christian Science Monitor, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Boston Globe and The Baltimore Sun profiled the results.  Findings were released on April 7, 2009.

Conducted by Washington University in St. Louis, the research indicates that students who worked with Experience Corps tutors made 60 percent more progress in sounding out new words and reading comprehension than similar students not served by the program.

“This research shows that Experience Corps tutors can increase student reading skills," said Jean Grossman, an expert in youth mentoring programs and evaluation design at Princeton University and Public / Private Ventures. "That's great news for parents, children, educators and the many people of all ages who want to respond to President Obama's call to service and want to know that their efforts will make a significant difference."

Researchers studied 883 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders in New York City, Boston and Port Arthur, Texas. Half were randomly chosen to be tutored by Experience Corps, while the others received standard school services.  All the students were high need: 50% of all students referred to Experience Corps tutors struggle so much with reading that they are at or below the 16th percentile nationwide.

Other key findings include:

• Experience Corps compares to smaller class size. Students who work with Experience Corps tutors get a boost in reading skills equivalent to the anticipated increase of being in a classroom with 40 percent fewer children.
• Experience Corps works for all students.  Tutors delivered similarly significant results for students regardless of gender, ethnicity, grade, classroom behavior or English proficiency.
• Teachers welcome Experience Corps. Teachers rate Experience Corps as beneficial to students, while reporting that it represents little or no burden to them.

Experience Corps Members Reap Health Benefits

Students are not the only ones who benefit from tutoring.  Washington University researchers compared the health of Experience Corps members to adults of similar age, demographics and volunteer history, and found Experience Corps members are more physically active and enjoy social networks and high self-esteem.

Experience Corps member Richard A. Fryer, a 76 year old retired civil engineer, told The Baltimore Sun, "I feel like I am 46 because I am working with Experience Corps. When you are with 24 kids three days a week, you are not just sitting on your thumbs. It keeps me active and keeps me physically more fit."

Other key findings on member health include:

• Lower depression. The comparison group's levels of depression and functional limitations increased over a two-year period, while Experience Corps members’ decreased.
• Higher activity. After a year with Experience Corps, about two-thirds of the least active members reported that they became significantly more physically active and more engaged in social and community events.
• A growing circle of friends. Approximately 85% of Experience Corps members report that their circle of friends - a key measure of social well-being for aging adults - increased and their lives have improved because of their involvement.

About the Student Research

About the Member Research

A companion piece to the student study, the research was designed to provide information about Experience Corps members' experiences in the program and outcomes associated with participation.
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About Experience Corps