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

  • AI toolbox containing a wrench, document icon, gears, and a network symbol

    Common Sense Media Releases Free AI Toolkit, AI Readiness & Implementation Guides

    Common Sense Media has developed an AI Toolkit for School Districts, available to educators free of charge, that provides guidelines and resources for implementing AI in education.

  • elementary school building with children outside, overlaid by a glowing data network and transparent graphs

    Toward a Holistic Approach to Data-Informed Decision-Making in Education

    With increasing access to data and powerful analytic tools, the temptation to reduce educational outcomes to mere numbers is strong. However, educational leadership demands a more holistic and thoughtful approach.

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.