Partner Program Between Life Science Cares and Community Foundation for MetroWest Improves Math Benchmarks for Sixth Grade Students

[Boston, MA September 16, 2024] — Life Science Cares Boston (LSC Boston), in collaboration with the Community Foundation for MetroWest (CFMW), is proud to announce the successful completion of its first year of the Milford Math Tutoring Program, a component of the Equity in Education Action Project at CFMW. This initiative is tied to LSC’s mission to foster economic opportunities for under-resourced groups. The virtual after-school tutoring program was designed to enhance mathematical skills and academic success for middle school students who were not currently performing at grade level. The pilot program produced impressive results for participants, with those in the program outperforming non-participants and nearly all showing growth toward grade-level benchmarks.

The program was made possible through funding provided by CFMW to recruit and manage volunteers. The after-school initiative ran throughout the 2023–2024 school year and provided twenty sixth-graders at Stacy Middle School in Milford, MA, with approximately 45 additional hours of personalized, virtual math tutoring focused on each student’s unique needs and learning pace. The tutoring sessions solidified foundational math concepts and improved problem-solving skills by addressing individual challenges and reinforcing classroom lessons, resulting in higher levels of confidence and enthusiasm for learning. The initiative leveraged the expertise and passion of volunteers from the life science industry to support students’ mathematical education and bridge learning gaps.

The program’s outcomes are evident in the impressive progress made by participating students:

• 0% of the students began the school year demonstrating a Grade 6 mathematical understanding according to the iReady diagnostic, a standardized benchmark assessment
• By the end of the year, 95% of the students showed growth on the iReady diagnostic with 35% of the students ending the year “on grade-level”
• 65% of the students in the program increased their grade-level placement on the assessment, compared to 53% of the students in Grade 6
• 65% of the students in the program met their growth targets compared to 44% of the Grade 6 students meeting their growth target

“The program is a huge success in students growing their mathematical understanding and confidence in being mathematicians,” said Kerry Taylor, curriculum supervisor of mathematics at Stacy Middle School. “The [program] provided our students with invaluable support in their mathematical education,” added Caridad Lopez, principal at Stacy Middle School. “We are proud to support this initiative, which has significantly improved our students’ math performance and academic success through targeted instruction and continuous practice.”

Volunteers met with students virtually, three times per week, using Saga Education’s proprietary tutoring software, Saga Connect, enabling volunteers to access a digital whiteboard and follow along with students as they solved problem sets.

“We continue to see a convergence of research supporting High Impact Tutoring as a key factor in promoting student growth,” said Michael Fairbanks of Saga Education. “Milford’s partners at Saga are thrilled to support this work alongside our friends at Life Science Cares.”

Volunteers, recruited from LSC Boston’s corporate partners, positively impacted the program. “You don’t have to be a parent to understand that education is important,” commented Blake Alexander, a volunteer tutor. “Through Life Science Cares, I was able to connect with students in need and help them build their skills in mathematics. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to positively affect a young person’s life.”

“Through strong partnerships and collaborative efforts like this, we are breaking down barriers to ensure every student has access to the resources and support they need to achieve academic success,” said Jay Kim, executive director of CFMW. “Together, we are building a brighter future for our communities.”

“The success of this innovative pilot program is testament to our partners and everyone involved, including the educators, students, and families of Stacy Middle School,” stated Kelly M. Brawn, PhD, head of programs and community engagement at LSC Boston. “The results speak for themselves, and we’re excited to operate the program again this school year in support of these deserving students and our mission to find creative solutions for disrupting the cycle of poverty and inequality in our community.”

LSC Boston is actively recruiting virtual math tutors for the 2024–2025 school year. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact [email protected].

About Life Science Cares

Since 2016, Life Science Cares (LSC) has leveraged the talent, passion, and community investments of the life science industry to fight poverty and provide a platform for the city’s leading industry to make a difference in the community. Through partnerships with life science companies and executives, LSC has invested more than $16 million and tens of thousands of volunteer hours in community-based organizations and programs that provide access to basic needs, education, and economic opportunity. LSC operates in Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and New York, as well as in Switzerland. To learn more, visit lifesciencecares.org. 

Community Foundation for MetroWest

In 1995, the Community Foundation for MetroWest became the trusted philanthropic partner for individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses in the region who are driven to enhance the quality of life for all in MetroWest. Since then, the Foundation has developed extensive programming (including Equity in Education, Housing and Homelessness Prevention, Workforce Development, and Arts & Culture) and awarded more than $34 million in grants to charitable organizations. The Foundation currently stewards more than $30 million in charitable assets for current needs and future impact. To learn more about the Foundation’s commitment to improved quality of life in MetroWest, visit communityfoundationmw.org or call (508) 647-2260.

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