FEV Tutor Acquired by Alpine Investors, Positioning FEV for 'Next Phase of Growth'

K–12 online tutoring platform FEV Tutor has been acquired by San Francisco-based private equity firm Alpine Investors, providing the resources for FEV Tutor to continue growing its product and its reach, according to a news release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Alpine’s Jim Tormey will take over as CEO at FEV Tutor, with co-founders Anirudh Baheti and Ryan Patenaude continuing in leadership roles, the companies said in their announcement.

FEV provides structured 1:1 online tutoring programs tailored specifically to individual school needs, delivered by a network of trained tutors accessible 24/7. FEV Tutor’s products meet the Level Two Every Student Succeeds Act evidence standards, according to its website.

Since COVID-19 school shutdowns amplified and worsened learning outcomes and equity gaps across the nation’s K–12 public schools, demand for online tutoring solutions has steadily grown — and online learning has become a post-pandemic norm. “Amidst these two trends, FEV Tutor sees an incredible opportunity to positively impact students’ lives by providing its research-based tutoring program to thousands of K-12 public school districts nationwide,” the company said.

Tormey comes to his new role from Alpine’s CEO-in-Residence Program, which “allows proven executives to step into leadership roles within Alpine’s portfolio,” the equity firm said. Most recently, Tormey served as President & CEO of MidAmerica Administrative & Retirement Solutions, a third-party administrator for health and retirement benefits funding.

“It’s my firm belief that despite its success to date, (FEV Tutor) has only scratched the surface of its potential, and I couldn’t be more excited to partner with the team to drive this next phase of growth and to positively impact more deserving students,” Tormey said.

Alpine has been active in the education sector for many years, noted FEV Tutor’s co-founders; other current holdings in K–12 education include Wilson Language Training, Riverside Insights, Perennial EdTech, Constructive Media, Digital Schools, eDoctrina, and Software Answers.

“Alpine’s expertise nationwide in the education space will not only help FEV Tutor extend its reach to more schools and districts, but also assist and accelerate our investments in our products, platforms, and team,” Patenaude said.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • A teacher and students gather around a glowing crystal ball containing a miniature school building surrounded by clear AI symbols, including holographic interfaces, neural networks, circuits, and data streams

    2025 Predictions: AI's Impact on Education

    What should schools and districts expect from the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the coming year? Here's what the experts told us.

  • digital illustration of Estonia with glowing neural network-like connections spreading across the map

    Estonia to Roll Out ChatGPT Edu for all Secondary Schools

    In a nationwide artificial intelligence program dubbed "AI Leap 2025," the country of Estonia plans to provide free access to leading AI applications for all secondary school students and teachers. The initiative will launch with a rollout of ChatGPT Edu to 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers, beginning Sept. 1.

  • A middle school student wearing safety goggles and a lab coat uses a microscope in a science lab, surrounded by beakers and test tubes filled with colorful liquids

    2025 Young Scientist Challenge Seeks Students Using Science to Solve Everyday Problems

    The entry period is now open for the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a science competition from 3M and Discovery Education for students in grades 5-8 recognizing individuals across the United States who have "demonstrated a passion for using science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them."

  • young child sitting at a table, using a tablet with an AI-generated interface

    Research: 1 in 3 Kids Use AI for Learning

    In a survey of parents with children aged 8 or younger, nearly a third of respondents (29%) said their child has used AI for school-related learning, according to a new report from Common Sense Media.