ABOUT SUM

SUM’s mission is to provide intensive (twice weekly), individualized, structured, multisensory math tutoring by highly trained tutors at little or no cost to Philadelphia area children in grades 1-3 who struggle with math. As long-time elementary school educators the founders of SUM understand that it is not only curricula but also methodology that promote proficiency in any academic pursuit. m*sense is workable with whatever math program/textbook a school is using. SUM’s tutor training will ensure that young students possess the foundational skills that are crucial prerequisites for future success in mathematics and beyond. 

teacher and student learning
teacher and student with test tubes

There is reliable current research on the power of intensive math tutoring by highly trained instructors.  A 2024 evidence-based study of high-impact math tutoring by EDResearch for Action, a joint initiative of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University and Results America, examined several interventions that aimed to improve educational achievement for elementary and middle school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.  Of all the interventions examined, high-impact tutoring was the most effective.