Chapter One’s mission is to ensure all children experience a successful first chapter of their educational journey to instill the motivation and confidence to continue turning pages for lifelong learning. To achieve this mission, Chapter One provides high impact literacy tutoring programs for students in grades K-5 using a unique short-burst approach with 1:1, in-person sessions lasting 5-10 minutes.

Cignition will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the 2024-25 school year, targeting 500 students in grades 4-5 who require Tier II math interventions. The project will provide 56 hours of virtual synchronous tutoring sessions in mathematics using a 1:4 model for 250 students in the treatment group and 250 in the control group, with sessions scheduled three times per week, each lasting 35 minutes, over a span of 32 weeks. The delivery model allows for real-time interaction between tutors and students, facilitating a dynamic learning environment where students can engage directly with their tutors, work with peers, ask questions, and receive immediate feedback. This thoughtfully designed initiative leverages the strengths of virtual synchronous tutoring to provide targeted support to students in need of Tier II interventions, aiming to enhance math proficiency and provide actionable insights to improve Cignition's methods

CitySchools Collaborative (formerly CityTutor DC, or CTDC) will leverage the Accelerate Call to Effective Action award to support public and charter school teams in implementing high-impact tutoring (HIT) for over 300 students, focusing on program design, observation, feedback, and coaching using high-quality math curriculum. CTDC will study how partners enhance tutoring quality while evaluating tutor skill development and satisfaction, as tutors become integral to school talent pipeline and staffing initiatives. The organization will prioritize schools with an at-risk student population of 50% or above for subsidized tutors and develop tools, professional development, and coaching to improve engagement in education, students' sense of belonging, and trust in adults. CTDC collaborates with schools to ensure tutoring aligns with student learning needs through professional development and Communities of Practice, where role-alike practitioners exchange best practices and troubleshoot challenges.

Through its High-Impact Tutoring Program (HITP) grant, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides incentives for local education providers to implement effective tutoring to help students recover from unfinished learning due to the pandemic. CDE offers grantees comprehensive technical assistance, including providing professional development opportunities, evidenced-based resources, and guidance in selecting a tutoring provider that is the best fit to meet local needs.

Coursemojo is honored to receive an Accelerate Call to Effective Action grant, which will significantly impact their efforts to develop an effective AI-powered, high-dosage tutoring solution aligned with districts' chosen high-quality instructional materials. In partnership with Chiefs for Change (CFC), Coursemojo will support 500 6th-grade students from 2-4 schools per district in 4-6 districts participating in the Middle Grades Literacy Community of Practice throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Students will access "Mojo," a high-dosage, curriculum-aligned tutor, via their 1:1 devices and complete ~4 Mojo activities per week for 15 minutes, either 1:1 or in small groups. These activities are designed to support students' literal comprehension, deeper understanding, writing skills, vocabulary development, and contextual knowledge related to the anchor text or text set.

Daniela Solley is an Education Programs Consultant in the Expanded Learning Division at the California Department of Education. With experience as a teacher, writing consultant, intervention coordinator, and administrator, she brings a broad perspective on how students grow and thrive. In 2021, Daniela was recognized as Placer County Teacher of the Year for her commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Daniela partners with schools, districts, and community organizations to design programs that expand learning opportunities beyond the school day. Daniela is dedicated to building systems that support student success statewide.

District of Columbia Public Schools, along with the DC Public Education Fund, aims to ensure kindergarten students get a strong start in mathematics. They will provide tutoring to 480 kindergarten students using the ROOTS intervention program, which focuses on developing whole number understanding in mathematics. DCPS will provide tutoring services to students directly by using its existing pool of paraprofessionals. By focusing on early interventions for students who are furthest behind, DCPS anticipates the model for this grant will have a significant impact on closing the academic gap early in a student’s academic career.

Deans for Impact (DFI) will convene educator preparation programs that are mobilizing teacher-candidates to serve as tutors in high-need schools, establishing the Aspiring Teachers as Tutors Network and developing a policy framework for strengthening the tutor-to-teacher pipeline. DFI will also develop and test the effectiveness of tutor training modules to prepare aspiring teachers to serve as tutors, initially focused on math in grades K-8. Against the backdrop of challenges with tutor supply in the 2021-22 school year and declining interest in the teaching profession, DFI seeks to increase the number of future teachers serving as tutors– both as a means of sustainably scaling tutoring to more K-12 students and as a strategy for strengthening pathways into teaching.

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) will provide reading tutoring for K-3 students. For the purposes of the States Leading Recovery (SLR) grant, the state will partner with the nonprofit tutoring provider Reading Assist to deliver high-dosage tutoring to students during the school day. Reading Assist recruits, trains, and embeds AmeriCorps members to serve as tutors, providing 1:1 tutoring to students scoring in the lowest 25th percentile for reading proficiency. Delaware has selected district and charter schools to participate in this program. In awarding grant funding, the DDOE targeted (1) students who are academically behind, based on state test results, and (2) schools that do not currently offer high-dosage tutoring for students.

Dr. April Aldridge serves as Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the Georgia Department of Education. A lifelong rural educator, she most recently worked as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in Decatur County Schools, where she resides. Over her 25-year career, Dr. Aldridge has held roles including District Assessment Director, Federal Programs Director, Title III/ESOL Director, Migrant Education Director, Assistant Principal, Lead Teacher, and classroom teacher. She is also a past president of the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors. Her leadership experience spans curriculum development, strategic planning, instructional technology, and job-embedded professional learning for K–12 leaders and teachers. Having served in districts with diverse geographic and demographic contexts, Dr. Aldridge values collaboration, innovation, and resilience. She is passionate about supporting Georgia school districts by providing guidance, technical support, and forward-thinking strategies to strengthen teaching and learning statewide.

Dr. Colby Self currently serves as a Director, Texas Tutoring Supports at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a position he has held since June 2021. With more than twenty-four years of experience in education, Dr. Self previously led Caldwell Elementary School in Pflugerville ISD as principal from July 2012 to June 2021. His background includes serving as assistant principal, as well as beginning his career as an athletic trainer and educator.

Dr. Self earned a Ph.D. in School Improvement from Texas State University, a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stephen F. Austin State University. Dr. Self is certified by the Texas State Board as an educator, holding teaching credentials at both the elementary and secondary levels, as well as principal and superintendent certifications.

Elizabeth Ross serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning (TAL) at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) where she is proud to lead OSSE’s work to ensure that all DC students have the opportunity to excel by setting high standards, providing robust supports for educators and holding schools and school systems accountable. Prior to joining OSSE, Elizabeth served as the Vice President and Managing Director of Teacher Policy at the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Before her time at NCTQ, Elizabeth worked at the US Department of Education on myriad equity-focused teacher quality initiatives. Elizabeth began her career as a third-grade teacher at Simon Elementary School in Washington, DC. She holds a B.A. from Georgetown University, an M.A.T. from American University, a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, where she was a public interest fellow, and an Ed.M. from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, where she was a Zuckerman Fellow. Elizabeth also teaches US Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing at Georgetown University Law Center and Education Law and Policy at American University.

Shaunté Duggins, Ph.D., is a dynamic leader with experience leading and implementing initiatives at the intersection of research, policy, and practice. As Director for State Initiatives at the UF Lastinger Center for Learning, Shaunté provides leadership for the New Worlds Reading Initiative and the Florida Tutoring Advantage Program. She oversees the development and execution of research to improve learning outcomes and ensures operational excellence. In her previous role as Senior Manager of Literacy Initiatives, Dr. Duggins facilitated professional development for hundreds of early learning and Pre-K-12 educators in the areas of literacy and coaching. She excels in building and maintaining partnerships with stakeholders across policy, business, and philanthropy to advance program development and ensure positive impact for children, families, and educators. Shaunté completed her doctoral studies in Special Education with an emphasis on early literacy and teacher education. Her research includes early literacy, family literacy engagement, and professional development.

EmpowerED Birmingham, along with Leaders of Excellence, are non-profit organizations serving students in the Birmingham community. These two organizations will co-lead the pilot of Project CATCH aiming to serve students in grades 6-10. Project CATCH tutors, recruited from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education, will utilize various instructional strategies and activities to address the needs of students coming from diverse backgrounds and having diverse learning styles. Project CATCH’s model will offer 90-minute sessions three times a week focusing on English Language Arts (Day 1) and Mathematics (Day 2). The third day will focus on reinforcing core skills through College and Career Readiness driven activities. Data collected throughout this project will inform the success of the Project CATCH model.