During the 2025–26 school year, EnCorps provided STEM tutoring in Los Angeles by connecting middle school students with STEM professionals and college students who volunteered their time and expertise. Through individualized support, tutors helped students strengthen foundational math skills and build greater confidence in their ability to learn.

EnCorps partnered with three middle schools across Los Angeles and also served a small number of students outside those partnerships. 

The Impact of STEM Tutoring in Los Angeles

Over the course of the school year:

  • 174 students received tutoring
  • 82 volunteer tutors worked with students
  • 3,656 hours of tutoring were provided
  • Students participated in an average of 23 tutoring sessions

These sessions gave students regular access to academic support that many families and schools may not otherwise have been able to provide. 

Students Built Skills and Confidence

Diagnostic assessment results show encouraging growth. Across participating schools, 81% of students increased their math diagnostic scores, while 54% increased their grade-level placement by at least one grade level. The largest observed increase was by four grade levels!

Academic growth was only one part of the program’s impact. Among the 91 students who completed the end-of-year survey:

  • 95% said tutoring helped them in math class
  • 98% agreed that every student can learn math and science
  • 83% said they enjoyed math tutoring.

Students also described their tutors as patient and supportive. Their comments showed that the relationships developed through tutoring often mattered just as much as the academic support. One sixth-grade student shared:

“Thank you for being there for me. I’m much better at math now, and it’s because of you. I’ll miss you when I’m done with tutoring. You’re really kind, nice, and patient.” 

The STEMx Tutors Program also gave volunteers a meaningful way to use their professional knowledge to serve students. Among surveyed tutors, 95% enjoyed working with their students, 95% believed their students’ math skills improved due to tutoring, and 100% would recommend EnCorps to a friend or colleague. One tutor reflected:

“It has been very rewarding to connect to a younger person and build a relationship with them. It is a really good feeling to know that I have positively impacted somebody’s life with something that I know well, which is math.”

By connecting students with supportive STEM role models, EnCorps helps make math feel more accessible and relevant to students. Each tutoring session creates another opportunity for students to ask questions, experience success, and build confidence in themselves for the future. The 2025-2026 school year demonstrated what is possible when schools, volunteers, and community partners work together to expand access to high-quality STEM learning.