Bring DESE-Sponsored Tutoring to Your District This Winter

The DESE Early Literacy Tutoring application window is open through November 26, 2025. Priority will be given to schools who prefer embedding tutoring within the school day.

Catapult Learning partners with districts across the Commonwealth to deliver the only DESE-approved, in-school tutoring model, helping schools strengthen literacy outcomes and improve their eligibility for DESE funding.
Explore Services Apply by November 26

DESE Tutoring Funding is Open Now. Partner to Accelerate Student Growth.

Massachusetts districts can now apply for fully funded, in-person tutoring through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

DESE gives priority funding to districts implementing tutoring within the school day, and Catapult Learning is the only approved vendor equipped to deliver this in-person model before, during, or after school. Partnering with us increases your district’s likelihood of selection for the upcoming funding cycle.

The clock is ticking. Here’s the timeline:

  • Nov 10–26, 2025: LEA interest form open; DESE information session offered
  • Dec 1–19, 2025: DESE reviews and scores applications
  • Dec 15–19, 2025: Match confirmations sent to tutoring providers and LEAs
  • Jan 5–16, 2026: Kickoff meetings between provider, LEA, and DESE
  • February 2026: Tutoring launches statewide

Submit your interest form by November 26 to reserve your district’s spot.

Note: If you want to work with us, please indicate your preferred option as follows: three or four days per week, 30–40 minutes per session, before, during, or after school, in small groups of 3–4 students, delivered in person by a vendor-provided tutor.

Get Started

Impactful Academic Growth

“Their team has been instrumental in providing tailored, intensive support that has significantly benefited our students. The tutors are skilled and have created a nurturing environment that fosters academic growth and confidence. Their structured approach and commitment to excellence has made a substantial impact on our students’ learning outcomes.”

School Leader

Massachusetts

Supporting Massachusetts Educators and Students at Scale

improved early literacy
Massachusetts districts supported
school partners
students served

Our Services in Massachusetts

We specialize in helping educators strengthen instruction and accelerate student growth through professional development for educators, high-dosage tutoring, and intervention services for students. Explore more below or click a button to dive deeper into how you can bring Catapult Learning services to your Massachusetts school.

Funding Pathways Get Started
  • Empower Educators

    Professional Development

    We help districts build educator capacity across the areas that matter most: instructional excellence, leadership development, student behavior and special education, and mental health. 

    Highlights:

    • Job-embedded coaching 
    • Workshops and institutes 
    • PDNow online learning platform 
  • Accelerate Learning

    High-Dosage Tutoring

    High-dosage tutoring accelerates learning and builds academic confidence through frequent, focused sessions delivered by trained tutors.

    Highlights:

    • Offered during the school day — the only DESE-approved model of its kind
    • Evidence-based focus on literacy and math 
    • Flexible delivery formats with highly trained, well-supported tutors
  • Targeted Support

    Intervention Services

    Our intervention programs help students overcome academic challenges through structured, research-based instruction and skill-building at a comfortable pace.

    Highlights:

    • Standards-aligned, systematic lessons 
    • Built-in diagnostic and progress assessments
    • Research-based, multi-tiered curriculum

Personalized Learning Approach

“I loved how the teacher found ways to get to know my child and what works best for her. They connected right away.”

Parent of a Tutoring Student

Boston, MA

Partnering with Catapult Learning 

Whether you’re a district leader preparing to apply for DESE’s Early Literacy Tutoring funding, a principal aiming to expand instructional support, or a school looking to accelerate student outcomes, our Massachusetts team is ready to help. We’ll guide you through the process before the November 26 interest form deadline, from program design to implementation, so your district is fully ready for the February 2026 tutoring launch.

Schedule a Meeting

Identify Available Funds

We’ll help you confirm DESE eligibility and determine how to apply current Title or state grant funds to support your tutoring program.

Align Services to Your Goals

Select from our proven tutoring models designed for Massachusetts students. We’ll tailor implementation to your district’s literacy goals and scheduling needs.

Get Started

Schedule a call before November 26 to secure your district’s place in the DESE-funded tutoring initiative launching this winter.

Funding Pathways in Massachusetts

Catapult Learning services are eligible for several local, state, and federal funding sources. Need help navigating funding timelines or eligibility? We’ve got you covered.

Targeted grants from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to address state priorities and improve student outcomes.

Federal funds that support student achievement: Title I for academic support, Title II for teacher professional development, Title III for English learner services, and Title IV for student well-being and enrichment.

Local budgets that allow schools and districts to allocate resources directly toward instructional programs, staffing, and student supports.

Funding from community-based organizations and local foundations that invest in literacy, equity, and other student success initiatives.

We Are An Approved DESE Vendor

Massachusetts is making major investments in early literacy and math—and the need is urgent. In 2024, only 42% of third graders met reading benchmarks on the MCAS. Research shows that high-impact, in-person tutoring is one of the most effective ways to close that gap. As a DESE-approved vendor—and the only provider offering in-school, in-person tutoring—Catapult Learning delivers Science of Reading-aligned instruction led by trained educators.

Districts that partner with Catapult meet DESE’s highest-priority funding criteria. Act quickly: the DESE interest form is open November 10–26, 2025. Submit now to secure your place for winter implementation.

APPLY BY NOVEMBER 26

Real Results in Massachusetts Classrooms

Catapult Learning’s high-dosage tutoring is already transforming early literacy outcomes across the Commonwealth. Our in-person model is built to close reading gaps quickly—and it’s working. Even students with the greatest needs have made significant gains in just one school year.

Our High-Impact Tutoring model delivers small-group instruction multiple times per week, grounded in the Science of Reading. Using our proprietary AchieveLiteracy curriculum, students receive explicit, systematic lessons tailored to their developmental stage, targeting the foundational skills essential for long-term reading success. Our highly trained tutors foster consistent, supportive learning environments where young readers build both skill and confidence.

DOwnload the success story

See HIT in Action

Learn how our High-Impact Tutoring model helps students make measurable gains through structured, data-driven instruction. This short video brings the approach to life with real examples from classrooms. 

Resources for District Leaders

Partner Video

Hear from one of our professional development partners on the real impact of partnering with Catapult Learning. From stronger instructional practices to measurable gains in student achievement, this story shows how the right support makes all the difference.
Watch video

Virtual Information Session

Get a firsthand look at how our High-Dosage Tutoring program works. From implementation to instruction. In this recorded session, our program leaders walk through the model, key components, and the impact it’s having on student achievement
Watch video

FAQs

Our High-Dosage Tutoring model delivers in-person, small-group instruction—serving up to four students per group—three or more times per week during the school day. Each 30 to 40-minute session is led by a trained tutor and grounded in evidence-based literacy practices aligned with the Science of Reading. This structured, consistent approach ensures students receive targeted support that accelerates learning and improves literacy outcomes.

In-person tutoring provides young students with the hands-on support and personal interaction they need to build foundational skills. For early learners, face-to-face sessions help minimize distractions, create a structured learning environment, and foster strong relationships with tutors. This direct engagement makes it easier for tutors to read nonverbal cues, offer immediate feedback, and use multi-sensory strategies that are crucial for early development and leads to stronger student outcomes. Click here to read the research from Brown University’s Annenberg Institute.

All of our tutors hold at least a four-year degree, with many bringing advanced degrees and teaching credentials to their roles. But what truly distinguishes Catapult Learning is our comprehensive approach to tutor training, support, and quality assurance. Before entering the classroom, each tutor completes over 40 hours of pre-service training focused on our proven High-Dosage Tutoring model. This includes in-depth preparation on curriculum, instructional strategies, and compliance expectations.

Once tutoring begins, our tutors receive ongoing support through more than five formal observations, accompanied by real-time coaching and feedback. In addition, we provide continuous professional development to ensure instructional excellence and drive meaningful student outcomes.

Each student begins with a diagnostic assessment that identifies individual skill gaps and priority learning areas. This data is used to create customized learning plans and to group students according to similar needs, allowing for highly targeted instruction.  Throughout the lesson, our tutors ensures that students understand the learning objective, spend time actively manipulating the academic content of the lesson, and engages in work that leads to high rates of independent student success.  To ensure progress, tutors use formative assessments to adjust instruction in real time and interim assessments to track growth, update learning plans, and measure progress against defined goals. This continuous feedback loop ensures that instruction remains responsive and effective.

We offer turnkey implementation to make it easy for schools and districts to get started. Catapult Learning handles every aspect of the program—from tutor recruitment, training, and ongoing coaching to providing curriculum, student materials, and progress reporting. Our end-to-end support ensures a seamless launch and consistent program quality with minimal lift required from school staff.

When new DESE funding opportunities are released, you’ll need to identify that you want to partner with an in-person provider offering tutoring during the school day.

Selecting Catapult Learning ensures your program aligns with what research shows works best. Studies consistently find that in-person tutoring delivered during the school day produces the strongest student gains,  leading to faster academic recovery and lasting growth.

Let’s Start the Conversation

Interested in bringing Catapult Learning’s DESE-approved tutoring to your district or school? Submit your information, and a member of our Massachusetts team will reach out right away.

When you submit your information, feel free to include your preferred tutoring format (for example: three or four days per week, 30–40 minutes per session, before, during, or after school, in small groups of 3–4 students, delivered in person by a vendor-provided tutor).


The DESE Early Literacy Tutoring interest form closes November 26 — connect with us now to secure your district’s spot before the deadline.