Intensive tutoring, previously hailed for its potential to close pandemic-related learning gaps, is yielding disappointing results in large-scale deployments. Although before the pandemic studies showed substantial academic gains from high-dosage tutoring, recent randomized controlled trials from multiple U.S. school districts indicate minimal to no measurable benefit. The Biden administration's push for tutoring using pandemic recovery funds met challenges in implementation and effectiveness. Ongoing research from organizations like the University of Chicago Education Lab and MDRC highlights the fragile promise of tutoring as a recovery strategy.