Events

Can Tutoring Save Us? AI, Accountability, and the Learning We Owe Students

Tutoring has long been one of education’s most powerful and most elusive levers for improving student outcomes. Decades of research show that high-quality tutoring can dramatically accelerate learning. And yet, at scale, that promise has repeatedly fallen short. Systems haven’t sustained it. Students haven’t seen the gains we hoped for. And too often, tutoring has remained fragile, episodic, or disconnected from core instruction.Now AI has entered the equation...not as a silver bullet, but as a forcing function. AI can diagnose faster, personalize more precisely, and deliver feedback at scale. But it also makes one reality impossible to ignore: technology can’t fix weak instructional design or unclear accountability. In an AI-enabled world, the question isn’t whether tutoring can work — it’s whether we are finally willing to build it in ways that actually deliver learning.In this session we'll explore whether AI can meaningfully strengthen tutoring, or does it simply expose what was never built to last? What conditions make tutoring durable? And what does accountability look like when the goal isn’t participation…but real gains for students?

Speakers:

• Antoinette Mitchell, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, District of Columbia
• Ben Caulfield, Eedi Labs
• Rahul Kalita, Tutored by Teachers
• Susanna Loeb, Stanford University
• Liz Cohen (Moderator), 50CAN; The Future of Tutoring

Unlocking Apprenticeship Opportunities for Tutors: Practical Strategies for Considering, Designing, and Implementing Tutor Apprenticeship Programs

As high-impact tutoring programs grow, evolve, and seek to diversify their funding sources, there is a promising opportunity to align with state workforce systems and apprenticeship pathways, expanding the support and recognition available for this work.

To help realize this potential, the National Student Support Accelerator, the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, the Partnership for Student Success, and the Pathways Alliance recently released a Tutor Apprenticeship Toolkit, which provides rationale, step-by-step guidance, resources, and an in-depth example for developing an evidence-based Tutor Registered Apprenticeship Program.

In this webinar designed for districts, state agencies, high-impact tutoring providers, and education preparation programs, hear from leaders in high-impact tutoring and educator apprenticeships on practical strategies for determining whether a tutor apprenticeship is the right fit for your program, designing research-aligned programs, and implementing effectively. 

Speakers

• Kate Cochran
  Managing Director, Partnership for Student Success
• Sabrina Baptiste
  Program Director, Pathways Alliance
• Ashley Bencan
  Chief of Staff, New Jersey Tutoring Corps
• Kathy Bendheim
  Director of Strategic Advising, National Student Support Accelerator

AEFP 2026 Annual Conference

Come and see us at The AEFP 2026 Annual Conference on March 19-21, 2026 in Swissotel Chicago, Illinois

10:00-11:30am, Thursday, 19 March, 2026
2.04 LLMs for Qualitative Coding and Measure Development

Moving past human labels: Best practices for annotating conversational data
JULIAN BERNADO, Stanford University, ANA TRINDADE RIBEIRO, Stanford University, XANDER BEBERMAN, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

1:30-3:00pm, Thursday, 19 March, 2026
3.07 Policies & Family Wellbeing: Economic Supports, Labor Conditions, and Household Dynamics

The Impact of Earned Income Tax Credit Generosity on the Family Environment
WINONA WEINDLING, University of California Irvine, PAUL YOO, Stanford University, GREG DUNCAN, University of California Irvine 

1:30-3:00pm, Thursday, 19 March, 2026
3.11 Public Pre-Kindergarten: Understanding Take-Up and Impacts

The Effect of Universal Public Pre-K on Public School Enrollment: Evidence from Washington, D.C.
SOFIA WILSON, Stanford University

8:15-9:45am, Friday, 20 March, 2026
5.02 Who is Interested in Teaching?

Tutor-to-Teacher Pipeline: The effect of working as a tutor on interest in teaching
JILLI JUNG, Stanford University, CARLY ROBINSON, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

8:15-9:45am, Friday, 20 March, 2026
5.07 Understanding Special Education Identification and Services

School-Based Disability Identification Varies by Student Family Income
NICHOLAS J AINSWORTH, University of California, Irvine, CHRISTOPHER CLEVELAND, Brown University, LEAH R CLARK, U.S. Census Bureau, JACOB HIBEL, University of California, David, QUENTIN BRUMMET, University of Chicago, ANDREW SAULTZ, Lewis & Clark College, EMILY K PENNER, University of California, Irvine, MICHELLE SPIEGEL, Stanford University, PAUL YOO, Stanford University, ANDREW PENNER, University of California, Irvine

2:45-4:15pm, Friday, 20 March, 2026
8.07 New Evidence on Tutoring

Examining the Effectiveness of Teacher-led Virtual Tutoring on Elementary Literacy Skills
HSIAOLIN HSIEH, Stanford University, MONICA LEE, Stanford University, CARLY ROBINSON, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

8:15-9:45am, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
9.10 Family Life, Instability, and Children's Wellbeing

Family Court as a Site of Disruption: Understanding the Impacts of Custody Proceedings on Children
BESS MARKEL, Stanford University

10:00-11:30am, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
9.08 Understanding Local Implementation and Adaptation in Tight Fiscal Contexts

Navigating the ESSER Cliff: District Strategies for Sustaining High-Impact Tutoring Programs
AYESHA HASHIM, NWEA, AMANDA LU, Georgetown University, HELEN ZHOU, Harvard University, EV GILBERT, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

10:00-11:30am, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
10.06 AI for Improving Teaching and Learning

Practicing How to Teach With AI: Do simulated tutoring sessions improve tutor instructional skills?
ANA TRINDADE RIBEIRO, Stanford University, CARLY ROBINSON, Stanford University, PAUL YOO, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

10:00-11:30am, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
10.06 AI for Improving Teaching and Learning

Identifying Effective Tutoring Strategies Through NLP Analysis of High and Low Value-Added Tutors
ANA TRINDADE RIBEIRO, Stanford University, XANDER BEBERMAN, Stanford University, CARLY ROBINSON, Stanford University, SUSANNA LOEB, Stanford University

10:00-11:30am, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
10.12 Policy Efforts to Support Special Education

The Costs of California’s Special Education Governance and Finance System
TYE RIPMA, Stanford University, PATRICK MCCLELLAN, UC Davis

11:45am-1:15pm, Saturday, 21 March, 2026
11.03 Recovery and Realignment: Post-Pandemic Shifts in School Enrollment and Performance

Opt-out or Dropout? Pandemic-era Public School Enrollment by Family Income
LEAH R CLARK, U.S. Census Bureau, CHRISTOPHER CLEVELAND, Brown University, THAD DOMINA, UNC-Chapel Hill, PAUL HANSELMAN, UC-Irvine, EMILY PENNER, UC-Irvine, WINNIE YEE, UC-Irvine, QUENTIN BRUMMET, NORC,  PAUL YOO, Stanford University, ANDREW PENNER, UC-Irvine

K-12 education: Accountability and performance on the 10th anniversary of ESSA

December 2025 is the 10th anniversary of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), an opportune time to take stock of the state of student achievement in the United States.

On December 8, The Hamilton Project at Brookings will host a virtual event exploring measurement, outcomes, and accountability in public schools. The event will feature a fireside chat with Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright and Matt Barnum of Chalkbeat. The event will also feature a panel discussion with Kirabo Jackson (Northwestern University), Brian Jacob (University of Michigan), and Susanna Loeb (Stanford University), moderated by Brookings’ Jon Valant.

In conjunction with the event, The Hamilton Project will release an analysis and data interactive that examine the relationship between COVID-related disruptions and student learning trajectories.

How High-Impact Tutoring Can Support Your State’s Literacy and Math Goals

As part of NASBE’s Annual Conference Encore webinar series, join us on December 3, from 3:00–4:00 pm, ET for a conversation on how research-based high-impact tutoring can transform student outcomes.

Experts from Stanford University’s National Student Support Accelerator, along with state policymakers and practitioners, will break down what makes high-impact tutoring effective. They’ll share the latest research, lessons from the field, and strategies state boards are using to support and implement statewide high-impact tutoring programs that can measurably improve literacy and math outcomes.

This webinar will feature:

• Lauren Ziegler, Managing Director, National Student Support Accelerator, Stanford University
• Colby Self, Director of Texas Tutoring Supports, Texas Education Agency
• Maurice Telesford, Science Teacher, Ferndale High School, Michigan

Don’t miss this chance to connect research, policy, and practice!

A Win Win: How Teachers in Training are Supporting High-Quality Tutoring

Schools across the country are implementing high-dosage tutoring programs to accelerate student learning. But many face challenges finding high-quality tutors and sustaining the programs now that federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding has ended. Schools of education are stepping up to fill the need by having their undergraduates tutor students in partner schools—adding a new component to their teacher training programs in the process.

FutureEd is hosting a webinar on the new strategy for expanding the supply of tutors in the nation’s public schools, focusing on how programs in Ohio and Virginia are making the new win-win partnerships work. Moderated by FutureEd’s Associate Director Maureen Tracey-Mooney, the discussion will feature:

• Meredith Fortner, executive director of EduTutorVA
• Susanna Loeb, professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education and director of the National Student Support Accelerator
• Dawn Shinew, dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Bowling Green State University

Silicon Valley High Dosage Tutoring Summit #2

Learn How & Why High Dosage Tutoring may be used in Expanded Learning and MTSS Intervention Supports

Agenda

Research to Practice to Policy
Lauren Ziegler - National Student Support Accelerator

This session explores how the latest research on high-impact tutoring can be translated into scalable, school-day interventions that improve academic outcomes. Experts will share actionable insights from rigorous studies and real-world pilot programs. Participants will leave with practical strategies for integrating tutoring into existing school schedules, staffing models, and MTSS frameworks.

How Education Foundations & Others Are Shaping Education

Lisanna Dominguez - Silicon Valley Education Foundation
Camille Llanes-Fontanilla - Sobrato Foundation
Steve Neese - Santa Clara Schools Foundation
Elizabeth Nolan - San Jose Public Library Foundation

Learn from regional education, family, and other types of foundations on how they strive to increase student achievement in public education and charters across the Bay Area. Be part of a growing network of mission-aligned funders committed to shaping a more just and effective public education system through collective action.

MTSS & ELOP Tutoring Integration

Ed Ceja - Tutor.com
Juan Mateos - Rocketship Public Schools

Learn about high dosage tutoring systems and programs aligned with Tier 1, and Tier 2 support within MTSS frameworks and ELOP programs.

Regional High Impact Tutoring Showcase Panel

Priti Johari - Milpitas Unified School District
Cris Ramirez - Silicon Valley Education Foundation
Dr. Elida MacArthur - Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District

Hear from Rocketship Public Schools, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District and Milpitas Unified School District school leaders that have implemented high impact tutoring, during the school year, summer, onsite/online and the steps they are taking to build data-driven school day and/or after school intervention programs.

Outcomes Based Contracting

Brittany Miller - Southern Education Foundation

At the heart of High Dosage Tutoring is Outcomes Based Contracting—an evidence-driven approach that ties tutoring investments directly to measurable student achievement. Discover how to align fiscal strategy with MTSS and ELOP goals, share district insights, and shape innovative funding models that maximize accountability and student success.

Workforce Development & Tutor Quality

Barb Flores - SCCOE
Lauren Conn - ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
TBD - SJSU Lurie College oof Education

There is a pool of future educators working tutoring jobs. Learn how Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose State University, Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton College of Education, and others are helping to build a strong pipeline of professionally trained tutors.

Designing Family Partnerships That Stick in 2025: Applying Lessons from High-Impact Tutoring

Schools and families share the same goal: helping students thrive. But without the right skills, tools, and opportunities to connect, meaningful collaboration can be hard to achieve.

This webinar invites participants to reimagine school-family partnerships in 2025 and beyond. We’ll highlight ways districts and schools are shifting from traditional one-way outreach to build deeper, more meaningful partnerships with families, particularly in the context of learning initiatives such as high-impact tutoring.

Drawing on Family & Caregiver Toolkits developed by NSSA and Innovate Public Schools, and on stories from parent organizers, design thinkers, and education leaders, we’ll share real-world examples of what it looks like when families help shape the work, not just respond to it.

School and district leaders will leave with fresh ideas, practical tools, and new ways to invite families into the heart of student success.

Panelists:

• 
  Jacqueline Castillo Blaber
  Parent Activist & Member, NSSA Family and Caregiver Tutoring Advisory Group
• 
  Yu-Ling Cheng
  Director, Parents as Allies
• 
  Jeremy Hilinski
  Principal, Bret Harte Elementary School
  San Francisco Unified School District
• 
  Michelle Vilchez
  CEO, Innovate Public Schools
• 
  Lauren Ziegler
  Managing Director, National Student Support Accelerator, Stanford University (moderator)

GLR Week 2025 - Building the Workforce for Tutoring: Emerging Options & Strategies

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading identified high-impact tutoring as a “big bet” and smart investment to accelerate learning recovery. States and districts that invested in high-impact tutoring — including Louisiana and the District of Columbia — were among the bright spots in the 2024 NAEP report, underscoring the effectiveness of this approach. A growing number of states and districts have sought to implement and expand high-impact tutoring programs despite challenges related to tutor recruitment and retention — challenges that were significantly exacerbated by the recent dismantling of the AmeriCorps program.

Join us for this GLR Week 2025 session to learn about several recent workforce innovations that have emerged to support affordable tutor recruitment and retention. Panelists will share how the U.S. Department of Labor has recently added “tutor” to the list of approved occupations in the federal Registered Apprenticeship Pathway, enabling states like New Jersey to build an apprenticeship pathway for tutors to gain college credits and explore careers in education. Attendees will also hear how colleges are leveraging their teacher-prep and federal Work-Study programs to create a pipeline of engaged and committed tutors to support school-aged students in classrooms and community settings. Stressing the strong research base, widespread investment in, and bipartisan support for high-impact tutoring, this session will provide state and district leaders and their community partners with the tools, resources, and insights they need to ensure that more children who continue to struggle with reading and math receive the personalized and targeted support they need to succeed.

Panel

• Katherine Bassett, CEO, New Jersey Tutoring Corps
• Monica Bhatt, Senior Research Director, The Education Lab, University of Chicago
• Kate Cochran, Managing Partner, Partnership for Student Success
• Kevin Huffman, CEO, Accelerate
• Susanna Loeb, Professor of Education and Executive Director, National Student Support Accelerator, Stanford University
• Patrick Steck, Vice President of External Affairs, Deans for Impact
• MODERATOR: Pete Lavorini, Portfolio Manager, Innovative Schools, Overdeck Family Foundation

Every Student, Every Need: A Fireside Chat on Scaling Personalized Tutoring with Purpose

How can schools move from scattered interventions to strategic support that reaches every student who needs it? Join this edLeader Panel for a candid fireside chat with leading voices in education as we explore how schools and districts can plan with intention, act with urgency, and use tutoring to deliver real, measurable outcomes—student by student.

This conversation will center on how district leaders can identify students who need support, how tutoring can become a core part of your instructional strategy, and how tools from the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) and Varsity Tutors are helping schools scale what works—without losing the human connection.

In this fireside chat, we’ll explore:

• Intentional Planning That Drives Support Where It’s Needed Most – How do you proactively identify which students need tutoring? How should districts be planning now for SY25–26? We’ll share planning frameworks that align with MTSS and empower building-level leaders to act early.
• Personalized Tutoring That Meets the Moment – Hear how high-impact tutoring—when done well—builds confidence, strengthens core skills, and makes learning feel personal again. We’ll share tools, strategies, and a national vision: that every student deserves a tutor who champions their success.
• How AI Supports—Not Replaces—Human Connection – In today’s tech-forward world, AI is a powerful partner in helping personalize instruction and track progress—but it’s not a replacement for relationships. We’ll explore how AI can enhance a tutor’s impact by removing barriers, not adding them.

This edLeader Panel will be of interest to elementary through high school district leaders, school leaders, and education technology leaders.

About the Presenters

Angele Hodges, an Academic Solutions Advisor for Varsity Tutors with over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, specializes in designing tailored academic strategies that drive student achievement. She has held roles such as principal, assistant principal, and dean of instruction, focusing on faculty development, strategic planning, and innovative instructional models. Angele holds a master’s in educational leadership from The University of Texas at Arlington, a bachelor’s in mass communication from Dillard University, and completed the Harvard University Leadership Institute. She is passionate about fostering collaboration, research-driven initiatives, and sustainable academic success.

Lauren Ziegler is the Managing Director of the National Student Support Accelerator at Stanford University, where she leads the translation of research on learning acceleration into practical tools for U.S. district and state leaders. She has worked to improve learning outcomes across U.S. and global contexts through roles in research, policy, and practice—including at the U.S. State Department, the Brookings Institution, and as a Broad Resident with Mastery Charter Schools. She began her career teaching English in France.

Mary Strain leads strategy for artificial intelligence and machine learning for US education at AWS. Mary began her career as a middle school teacher in the Bronx, NY. Since that time, she has held leadership roles in education and public sector technology organizations as an award-winning curriculum developer, product lead, and vice president of business development. Mary has advised K12, higher education, technology companies, and government on innovative policies and practices leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, competency-based assessment, and micro-credentials to advance equity, access, and agency. She has worked as an advisor to The Education Design Studio at The University of Pennsylvania, The Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color, The State of NJ AI Task Force, and the California State University AI Workforce Acceleration Board. Mary has been on the leading edge of bringing innovative solutions to serve the public interest for two decades.