Welcome to our 2025 National Student Support Accelerator Conference, our 4th annual gathering, Scaling High-Impact Tutoring: Uniting Research and Decision Making for Effective Solutions.
In just four short years, the high-impact tutoring field has evolved into a powerful, coordinated movement. Nearly 40% of schools across the country now offer high-impact tutoring. Despite funding challenges, states, districts, and schools are finding creative ways to make tutoring sustainable, and implementation continues to improve. We are also seeing exciting opportunities to enhance human-led tutoring through AI, all while staying rooted in the power of relationships and high-quality instruction.
Since NSSA launched in 2021, schools and districts across the country—and globally—have been scaling tutoring efforts to help students thrive. There’s no one-size-fits-all model. Some districts partner with specialized providers, others build programs in-house, and many are rethinking schedules and staffing to make tutoring a core part of the learning experience. This diversity of approaches reflects a shared goal of providing every student with access to meaningful relationships and high-quality instruction.
We know this is not easy work, but it is essential. That is why we are so grateful you are here. Throughout today’s event, we will learn from each other, explore innovative solutions to funding and implementation challenges, discuss the potential of AI, and hear the latest research shaping the future of high-impact tutoring. We will dive into practical strategies in smaller sessions and build new connections to support this work long after the conference ends.
NSSA’s efforts would not be possible without the support of many partners. Thank you to our initial funding partners for believing in this work including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Kenneth C. Griffin, Jamie Halper, Overdeck Family Foundation, Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and Walton Family Foundation. Thank you also to our research partners including Arnold Ventures, J-PAL North America, Overdeck Family Foundation, and Smith Richardson Foundation. A special thank you to Pete Lavorini, Yashna Jhaveri, and the Overdeck Foundation for your thought-partnership and support of this conference, to our champion sponsors PEARL and Pencil Spaces, as well as to all of our event sponsors.
This year is a chance to celebrate how far we have come and to deepen our commitment to expanding high-quality tutoring for students in every school. We know that many of us are facing uncertainties. During these times, keeping our focus on students and their wellbeing is even more important. We are honored you are taking time from your busy schedules to be with us and to focus on what we can do—and we hope this is a time of real learning, inspiration, and momentum for all of us.
Best,
Susanna Loeb
and National Student Support Accelerator Team