Prepared for the Joseph Drown Foundation
Closing the Achievement Gap
in LA County
Learn To Be has provided free, one-on-one online tutoring to underserved students since 2008. Headquartered in West Hollywood, we've already served hundreds of LA County students — and we're ready to deepen our regional impact with the right partner.
LA County Impact
We're already here — and growing
Learn To Be is headquartered in West Hollywood, with our ED and Director of Operations based in Los Angeles. Here's what we've built in LA County so far.
How we know this: Learn To Be's proprietary platform tracks every tutor and student by location. These numbers are live from our database — not estimates. We can slice data by zip code, city, or county at any time.
National Scale, Local Roots
The national platform behind our LA programs
Our LA Programs
Programs serving LA County today
These aren't proposals — they're programs we're already running. Each can be deepened and expanded with the right philanthropic support.
One-on-One Virtual Tutoring
Free, personalized tutoring for underserved K–9 students in math and reading. Each student is matched with a dedicated tutor they meet weekly — not random sessions with strangers. Our matching engine pairs by subject, grade level, and schedule, with students typically matched within one week.
Intergenerational Tutoring
Our 50+ and retired tutors — many of them former teachers — are consistently our most dedicated and highest-impact volunteers. They tutor more hours, stay longer, and build deeper relationships. We're actively growing this program through targeted community outreach in the LA region.
Coursekit — AI-Powered Learning
Our proprietary learning platform, launched March 2026, integrates AI with learning science to deliver structured math and reading courses. Tutors use Coursekit as guided curriculum, enabling measurable progress tracking — not just anecdotal feedback, but real data on skill growth.
University Tutor Corps
We recruit and train tutors through university chapters across California, combined with Federal Work Study partnerships where tutors are compensated through their schools. Each tutor completes self-guided training and joins a supportive Slack community for ongoing mentorship.
Why This Partnership Works
Direct alignment with Drown Foundation priorities
Los Angeles Focus
We're headquartered in West Hollywood. Our ED and Director of Operations are LA-based. Our platform tracks students and tutors by zip code — we can target LA County precisely.
Math & Literacy
Our core focus is exactly where you invest: foundational math and reading for K–9 students. Our Coursekit platform provides structured courses in both.
K–12 Education
We serve students in grades K–9, with our high-dosage tutoring model providing consistent weekly sessions — the intervention research shows works best.
High-Dosage Tutoring
Students meet with the same dedicated tutor 1–2 times per week. Average engagement: 11.3 sessions per tutor-student pair. This is the consistent, relational model that drives outcomes.
Expanding Access
Our virtual model removes transportation barriers for families who can't get to after-school programs. Sessions happen from home, right when students need it most — 3–5pm after school.
Data-Driven Impact
With Coursekit, we can now measure skill growth — not just collect testimonials. Pre/post assessment, mastery tracking, and progress dashboards for every student.
Built In-House
Technology that scales impact
Our Executive Director is a software engineer who built our entire platform from scratch. This isn't off-the-shelf software — it's a custom tutoring engine designed for the specific needs of underserved students.
Smart Matching
Students matched to tutors by subject, grade level, and availability — typically within one week.
AI-Powered Courses
34 structured courses in math and reading, powered by AI, with spaced repetition and mastery tracking.
Granular Analytics
Every session, every student, every zip code — tracked and reportable. We can provide LA-specific data on demand.
Student & Tutor Voices
Hear from our community
From our Wall of Love — over a thousand testimonials from students, parents, and tutors.
"My student was failing all his subjects. After seven months of tutoring, he has all A's and B's."
"Learn To Be filled several gaps in her confidence. She now approaches math with enthusiasm instead of anxiety."
"Best platform for tutoring. I'm really grateful for this opportunity — it's changing my child's relationship with learning."
"The consistency of meeting with the same tutor every week made all the difference. My daughter actually looks forward to her sessions now."
Next Steps
Path to partnership
We're ready to provide any additional LA-specific data, reports, or program details you need for review.
May 2026 — Introductory Call ✓
Annie and Anamaria connected to discuss Learn To Be's programs and the Drown Foundation's K–12 education priorities.
May–June 2026 — Review LA Programs
We'll provide additional data, impact reports, and program details for your team's review — including any metrics specific to LA County that you'd like to see.
July 2026 — Application Window Opens
Submit application through the Drown Foundation portal for the September board meeting.
September 2026 — Board Review
Joseph Drown Foundation board reviews partnership applications.
Let's Continue the Conversation
Ready to deepen our LA County impact together
We'd love to send over any additional data, schedule a follow-up call, or answer any questions your team has.
Annie Maurer · Development · annie.maurer@learntobe.org
Learn To Be · West Hollywood, CA · Founded 2008