Skills-Based Support: A Smarter Way to Help Students Catch Up

In today’s educational landscape, schools ask a great deal of students, teachers, and families. It’s no surprise that many parents feel overwhelmed when their child is performing below grade level in reading or math—and unsure of how to help without spending large amounts of money on tutoring or programs that don’t always deliver results.

When a student is struggling academically, the most effective support often isn’t more grade-level work. Grade-level standards are already being addressed in the classroom. What many students need instead is targeted, skills-based practice that addresses the foundational gaps preventing them from accessing grade-level content successfully.

The first step is understanding where your child is struggling—whether in decoding, comprehension, number sense, or basic computation—and focusing on those underlying skills. Adaptive learning platforms can be especially helpful for this type of support. Programs such as MobyMax and Khan Academy provide individualized instruction and practice, adjusting to your child’s skill level rather than their grade. Many schools also provide access to adaptive tools like i-Ready, which students can often use at home. These programs begin with a diagnostic and meet students where they are, allowing them to build skills systematically and confidently.

One of the most powerful—and inexpensive—literacy supports remains an age-old practice: reading together. Reading with your child at their instructional level and discussing what you read strengthens comprehension, vocabulary, and confidence while also creating meaningful family connection. Simple conversations about characters, main ideas, or new information can make a big difference. You can find suggested discussion questions and prompts in the Resources section of this site.

For math, consistency and focus matter more than quantity. A simple daily routine can be very effective: spend five minutes writing math facts (such as multiplication or division), followed by one computation problem and one word problem related to the specific skill your child is working on. This approach chunks learning into manageable pieces and targets the foundational skills that often interfere with grade-level math success.

If you decide to invest in tutoring, consider choosing a tutor or program that prioritizes skill deficits over grade-level pacing. Strengthening foundational skills supports long-term growth and makes grade-level standards more accessible over time.

When it comes to helping students catch up, targeted practice, consistency, and intentional support often go further than expensive solutions. Building skills builds confidence—and confidence changes everything.

By Karen (Renee) Beatty French