We thank our partners and supporters, including the Gates Foundation, Kenneth C. Griffin, Jamie Halper, Overdeck Family Foundation, Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Walton Family Foundation, Arnold Ventures, J-PAL North America, and Smith Richardson Foundation. We also thank Jesse Silberberg and Yashna Jhaveri of the Overdeck Foundation for their support and partnership, and our sponsors, including PEARL, Pencil Spaces, and Tutor.com.
This year’s theme, Human Connections in a Digital Age: The Next Chapter of High-Impact Tutoring, reflects the field’s progress and the opportunities ahead. Over the past five years, high-impact tutoring has evolved from a research-based response to urgent needs into a sustained national effort that expands access to strong relationships and personalized instruction for students.
In 2021, the National Student Support Accelerator launched with a clear goal: translate research into practical, scalable solutions that help students thrive. Five years later, that vision shows results nationwide. Over 40 percent of schools now offer high-impact tutoring, driven by educators, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners like you.
NSSA supports each of these decision-makers by conducting research, developing tools and resources including quality standards, the Toolkit for Tutoring Programs and District Playbook and more, and convening the field through opportunities like this conference. The Tutor Quality Improvement System provides a free self-assessment and improvement resources, while the NSSA Tutoring Program Design Badge enables programs to demonstrate quality. We have awarded more than 50 Badges, and states and districts increasingly use the Badge to define excellence.
As we come together in 2026, we celebrate this progress and address new challenges. The end of federal relief funding creates uncertainty, and AI presents both new opportunities and new questions for how we support students. Sustaining and expanding tutoring at scale will require continued innovation and collaboration. At the same time, states and districts are identifying new funding strategies, programs are refining their models, and advances in AI are opening new ways to support tutors while keeping human relationships at the center. Today, we explore these opportunities and challenges together. Through new research, shared strategies, and honest conversation, we’ll leave with fresh ideas and stronger connections to carry this work forward.
We remain grounded in our mission: expanding access to high-impact tutoring for students in need. We are honored you are with us today. Your leadership propels this work forward. Five years ago, this field was just emerging. Today, it drives more equitable educational opportunity—and the next chapter starts here. With gratitude,
Susanna Loeb and the National Student Support Accelerator Team