Learning Loss

Michigan Approves Saga Education and Success for All for High-Impact Tutoring

• By Kate Lucariello
• 04/01/24

Nonprofit education organization partners Saga Education and Success for All Foundation (SFA) have been selected by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) to provide high-impact tutoring under the state's MI Kids Back on Track program.

MAISA has identified the partner organizations as two of 13 high-impact tutoring vendors vetted as meeting requirements for the MI Kids program. The program is the state's response to math and reading learning achievements lost (51% in math and 45% in reading, according to the Education Recovery Scorecard) during the COVID-19 pandemic years, and following the expiration of the federal government's ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) grants.

Both partner organizations focus on high-impact tutoring to help improve math and literacy scores. According to a white paper from Saga, "Accelerate Learning Now: Strategies for Sustaining High-impact Tutoring Post-ESSER," high-impact tutoring is defined as:

• A 3:1 student-to-tutor ratio;
• Three tutoring sessions per week over 10 to 36 weeks; and
• Instruction provided by well-trained and supported tutors that is aligned with the classroom curriculum.

Saga said its role in Michigan will be to "provide school districts with technical assistance and consulting support that includes program design, tutor training, access to Saga technology products, and fidelity of implementation review and support. Districts can also benefit from Saga's national tutoring pool, which secures high-quality, live-online tutoring talent."

SFA will focus on "web-based literacy tutoring for below-level students in grades 1-8. In SFA Tutoring, students work cooperatively in pairs to advance through activities, coached and monitored by a tutor. SFA Tutoring also has at-home activities that reinforce what students learn during the day and allows them to share with their families."

Visit Saga's About Us page and SFA's Cooperative Learning page to learn more about their tutoring approaches.