After 14 years in the personalized learning space, I am stepping down from my role at Saga Education by the end of June 2025. As a co-founder, Saga will always be a huge part of me, and I will remain deeply committed to Saga and an active board member.
Being part of Saga since its inception has been an incredible journey. Our goal has been to use high-quality, personalized learning as a catalyst for educational equity. By incorporating high-impact tutoring (HIT) into the core academic experience, we aim to lift students academically, break the cycle of generational inequity, and increase economic mobility.
Today, we deliver HIT directly, support district partners, provide software solutions, and lead cohorts of districts in communities of practice worldwide. Our work has influenced decision-making across the educational spectrum. High-impact tutoring is now a global movement, bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the philanthropic community.
Saga Education has served over 60,000 students over the past ten years. While our exact reach is hard to quantify, high-impact tutoring (HIT) has become central to how many districts support their students. This approach now commands billions of dollars in funding and is emerging as a key component of bipartisan education policy.
With the alarming declines in math and reading proficiency levels revealed by the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the urgency to act is clear. Our vision is to transform public education by embedding HIT into the regular school day for all students who need it, free of cost to families. This is part of America’s sacred obligation: to provide a free and effective public education. Saga Education has a clear vision for the future, with the resources and world-class talent to achieve it.
Saga’s success is due to the dedication and talent of its people. My heart is filled with love and gratitude for this experience. The students we serve, the people at Saga, and our partners have changed my life. The most exciting part of education is that there is always something new to learn. My teams—both the people I supervise, and the leaders I work with—have continuously pushed me to grow, for which I am deeply grateful.
My decision to transition is simply human—I am ready for the next phase of my journey in life. I am reflecting on what is next and spending time with my family, including my eight-year-old daughter, Olivia, who suggests that I run a trampoline park. I probably won’t do that, but I am excited about a new challenge and will continue to take bold steps to accelerate equitable opportunity and economic mobility for underrepresented families and communities.
Onward with purpose,
AJ Gutierrez