Union County’s math scores improved so much it wants to share its method across NC

Union County Public Schools launched a math tutoring program in 2017 that has significantly improved scores in the district. Now, it’s considering partnering with other counties to do the same thing there.

UCPS began its “high dosage math tutoring” program in 2017, at six low-performing schools. Initially, it was only for students who scored below a certain threshold in math on state standardized tests. Later, the district expanded the program to 13 additional schools and in 2024, it began in-school math tutoring for all fourth and seventh graders at those schools.

Since the program’s launch, UCPS saw an average increase in state math test scores of 12 percentage points in fourth grade, according to an analysis from researchers at UNC Chapel Hill. Researchers have only released a preliminary brief of seventh grade scores so far, but initial estimates show a statistically significant improvement in scores.

The portion of fourth grade students scoring on-grade-level or better on state math exams increased by 9.8 percentage points between the 2021-22 and 2024-25 school years, according to UCPS’ calculations. The portion of seventh graders scoring on-grade-level during that time increased by 11.1 percentage points.

UCPS has worked with 50 districts around the country so far to implement its model, including Guilford County Schools and Gaston County Schools. But UCPS Superintendent Andrew Houlihan proposed to state lawmakers last week that the district work with more in the Tar Heel state.

“One idea that I’ll propose is the idea of a lead district partnership with other school systems across the state,” Houlihan told members of North Carolina General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee Feb. 10. “UCPS would be willing to partner with other districts who are interested in implementing this with equitable funding allocated to both our school system and those participating districts, and we would provide ongoing training across the state on a regional basis.”

State lawmakers applauded the results of UCPS’ program but made no official commitments about expansion to other districts, or funding.

How does the program work?

At participating schools, all students in fourth and seventh grade are pulled out of class every day for tutoring with groups of three to four students per every one math tutor.

Math tutors use a curriculum developed by UCPS, which Houlihan said the district would provide free-of-charge to any North Carolina districts that it would potentially partner with. Tutors are part-time and make a higher wage than most other tutors employed by the district — tutors in the high dosage math program make about $25 per hour, while other tutors in the district make about $16 to $18 per hour.

UCPS is the sixth-largest school district in North Carolina, with 53 schools and 40,000 students. The math tutoring program costs the district around $3 million per year, Houlihan said.

Tutors don’t need a teaching license like full-time educators in the state. Instead, they are required to have at least a high school diploma and pass a math assessment developed by UCPS.

Houlihan proposed the General Assembly would provide funding for districts that choose to participate, largely to go toward hiring part-time tutors. Some funding, he said, would go to UCPS for the costs of expanding the model and training participating school systems.

“In this concept, I would say 75% of the recurring funds would actually go to the districts implementing the model,” Houlihan said. “We would certainly need a little bit of help with the training materials and the actual individuals that would provide the work to support those partnerships, but the vision we put out there is one where we would partner with a minimal funding share.”

It’s paramount that participating districts implement the program “with fidelity,” he said, insisting certain elements, like the 3-to-1 tutor-to-student ratio and daily sessions, are non-negotiable.

“We would argue that if you’re going to participate in this, there needs to be some fidelity to following the model,” Houlihan said. “(Districts) would need to commit to implementing that whole-grade model, fully utilizing the materials and progress monitor and evaluate on an annual basis.”

Last week’s presentation was to provide information about the model to the General Assembly, but no expansion plans have been officially made.

“At this time, there are no official partnerships for the tutoring model,” Tahira Stalberte, UCPS assistant superintendent of communications and community relations, told The Charlotte Observer. “Many school districts have visited to see our tutoring model, and we have provided the curriculum, and coached staff through the process for organizing the model, hiring tutors, professional development, etc.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 5:00 AM.