Partnership Brings Tutoring to Local Students

Across the Bay Area, most children are unable to read proficiently by third grade.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, at R.F. Kennedy Elementary School, leaders from Santa Clara County, the City of San José and Teach For America (TFA) Bay Area announced a partnership to bring high-impact reading and math tutoring to 80 local third-grade students at high-need schools during the 2024-2025 school year.

Ignite Fellowship (Ignite) is a high-impact tutoring program launched in 2020 by TFA, a leadership development organization focusing on ensuring all children have access to an excellent education. Ignite operates in over 30 communities across the U.S. and serves over 4,000 students. Ninety-five percent of Ignite partners report a positive impact on students’ academic growth.

Ignite's expansion into San José, made possible through a combined $160,000 grant investment by Santa Clara County and the City of San José, brings the national tutoring program to the Bay Area.

“Tutoring has long been recognized as an effective tool to improve educational outcomes, but it has historically been more accessible to students from higher-income families,” said Sylvia Arenas, Santa Clara County Supervisor for District 1. “In Santa Clara County, more than 40% of students are not reading at grade level. This partnership levels the playing field and ensures every child has access to a resource proven to boost academic achievement and foster confidence.”

Third grade reading and math benchmarks are key indicators of future outcomes, including high school graduation rates and college enrollment. Ensuring local students can read safeguards their potential and invests in San José’s economic future.

“By empowering our children with literacy skills, we are investing in their future and our community’s future,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “Preparing this generation to be engaged, literate citizens means they will be well-equipped to be productive members of society. Helping our young people achieve their full potential creates a better world for us all.”

Ignite fellows, the national tutoring corps of TFA, are primarily current undergrads who lead and provide high-impact tutoring via one-on-one situations or very small groups for at least 30 minutes during the school day at least two or three times per week. Ignite tutors provide reading and math tutoring while receiving support from veteran educators.

“It is our responsibility to do everything in our power to accelerate learning for our students, and the Ignite program has proven to be an effective way to do just that,” said Juan Cruz, Superintendent of Franklin-McKinley School District. “We are excited to welcome Ignite tutors to our schools, support future educators and provide our students with the support they need to succeed.”

TFA’s purpose to launch and expand Ignite is to help districts like Franklin-McKinley. Ignite is intended to accelerate student learning and foster belonging through customized small-group learning.

The program has shown strong results across the nation. Ninety-four percent of Ignite partner schools report a positive impact on students’ overall engagement, and 95% of Ignite students report tutors teach students in the way they learn best. Moreover, ninety-six percent of Ignite students report tutors ensure understanding of the material.

“TFA and our partners share an unwavering belief in all children,” said TFA CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard. “Smarts are distributed equally across lines of difference, but access and opportunity are not. Across the country, only 11% of students in public schools have access to high-impact tutoring. By expanding Ignite to San José, we are doubling down on our contribution as a strategic talent partner to Bay Area communities.”

Ignite is strengthening the national education pipeline with diverse, new teacher talent. Forty-three percent of 2023 Ignite fellows who were college seniors applied to TFA’s teaching corps. Additionally, fifty-seven percent of its fellows identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Color, and 42% are from a low-income background and/or are the first in their family to attend college.

“When children can read, a whole world of possibilities is open to them,” said Beatrice Viramontes, TFA Bay Area Executive Director. “Literacy is liberation. At TFA, we are proud to invest in our Bay Area children, educators and leaders. Ignite is helping students by ensuring there are additional, effective individuals invested in helping our young people learn, become leaders and lead thriving lives."

The speakers’ passion for their San José and Santa Clara County communities shone through each of their remarks. Each partner shared they were excited to work together during the 2024-25 school year and beyond.