Title I, Part A
Support for schools serving students from low-income families.
View funding source ↗Maryland · Schools & districts
High-dosage tutoring for Maryland schools.
Live, small-group virtual tutoring in K–12 math and ELA. Build on Maryland’s focus on reading improvement, foundational numeracy, and access to grade-level learning, with experience supporting Baltimore City and Baltimore County schools.
A closer look at Maryland
Your state’s priorities.
Your students’ next steps.
What Maryland is prioritizing
State priorities.
Focused support.
A clear next step in reading. A stronger foundation for mathematics. Additional support that connects with the classroom. Plan around the work Maryland’s school systems are putting into practice.
Official sources checked November 9, 2026
01Literacy. Connect instruction with the reading plan.
Maryland’s emphasis
Maryland’s Comprehensive PreK–3 Literacy Policy connects science-of-reading instruction with approved screeners, family communication, and Student Reading Improvement Plans. Implementation of the screeners and plans begins in 2026–27; the policy’s retention provisions begin in 2027–28.
The Cignition connection
Start with the specific reading skills your school has identified. Review proposed tutoring alongside the student’s reading plan and classroom materials, with a clear role for additional instruction and progress updates.
02Mathematics. Connect numeracy with the learning ahead.
Maryland’s emphasis
Maryland’s revised PreK–8 mathematics standards take effect in 2026–27. The August 2026 mathematics policy phases in further changes to secondary pathways, while emphasizing conceptual understanding, flexible grouping, and support within a multi-tiered system.
The Cignition connection
Use student work and diagnostic evidence to identify a focused need. Connect visual models, purposeful questions, and explanations with grade-level learning, rather than treating prerequisite support as a separate track.
03Tiered support. Protect access to core learning.
Maryland’s emphasis
Maryland’s MTSS framework brings academic, behavioral, and attendance needs into a coordinated system. Its mathematics guidance distinguishes core instruction, targeted support, and intensive intervention, with decisions informed by student evidence.
The Cignition connection
Agree on recurring tutoring time, local coordination, and a process for reviewing participation and learning. Clarify the role of tutoring within the school’s support system and preserve access to core instruction.
Our curriculum. Your instructional goals.
From a learning target
to student thinking.
Start with the skill your students need next. Connect the learning goal, the task, and the explanation that shows how a student is thinking.
The Maryland connection · A closer look at instruction
From a learning need to the work students do.
Maryland’s emphasis on early literacy plans, mathematics foundations, and classroom connections provides context for reviewing this sample. Examine how a learner connects sounds and print, responds to prompts, and practices a foundational reading skill.
Compare the task and prerequisites with your classroom sequence and student work.
Explore a sample lesson
Elementary literacy
ELA · K–5 sample. Open the student lesson to examine the tasks for yourself.
Open the elementary literacy sample ↗
What should we look for?
Consider how a learner connects sounds and print, responds to prompts, and practices a foundational reading skill. Which responses would help your team decide what the student understands and what to teach next?
How would this connect with our curriculum?
Compare the learning goal, task, language, and prerequisites with your classroom materials. Your school’s learning sequence and the students’ starting points guide that discussion.
How should we use this example?
This grade-band sample illustrates selected instruction. It has not been customized for Maryland and is not a comprehensive state standards alignment. For a specific alignment question, share the standard and classroom materials with our team.
Inside a school partnership
Cignition
in Maryland.
Cignition has supported Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools with live virtual tutoring. Our work in Baltimore City began with a rising sixth-grade math pilot in summer 2021 and grew into broader school partnerships.
In 2022–23, Cignition served 960 Baltimore City students across 26 schools. The program offered 11,230 group tutoring sessions from December 2022 through June 2023, connecting live instruction with student thinking and regular communication with school teams.
“Cignition sends weekly updates on attendance, student engagement, and teacher feedback. Communication is a vital part of any partnership and Cignition exceeds these expectations.”
Kerry Steinbrenner
Coordinator of Mathematics
Baltimore City Public Schools
For a new Maryland partnership, Cignition brings live virtual tutors, purpose-built curriculum, a dedicated program manager, and useful participation and learning information. Your school brings its learning priorities, protected time, technology, and local support. Local partnership experience informs planning; each new program has its own scope and requirements.
BALTIMORE CITY · REPORTED LEARNING PROGRESS
Progress within tutored standards.
18.87% → 38.79%
2023–24 school year
Share of assessed standards rated Proficient
3,746 assessed standards
15.01% → 42.05%
August–December 2024
Share of assessed standards rated Proficient
906 assessed standards · Partial-year snapshot
Source: Cignition’s FY25 Baltimore City evidence summary. Figures compare baseline and reported progress using internal standards-level ratings, not student MCAP proficiency or a measure of tutoring’s causal impact. The two reporting periods cover different sets of assessed standards.
Turn the instructional need into a workable plan.
Your school team
Identify the students and reading or math goals, share classroom and screening information, and protect recurring time. Your team names an onsite contact and checks devices, connectivity, and the proposed use of school funds.
The Cignition team
Your program manager coordinates planning with your school. Cignition prepares tutor assignments, small groups, instructional materials, and launch arrangements around your Maryland school’s early literacy plans, mathematics foundations, and classroom connections.
Keep the session focused and students connected.
Your school team
Help students join on time, maintain a supervised learning space, and support participation or connection issues. Classroom teachers continue core instruction; tutoring provides additional targeted learning time.
The Cignition team
Experienced, carefully vetted tutors lead live virtual instruction using Cignition’s purpose-built curriculum, questions, models, and discussion. They respond to student work and record attendance, participation, and learning information.
Use the information. Keep the conversation going.
Your school team
Share classroom observations and school assessment context, review participation with your onsite contact, and identify questions about student learning or the routine.
The Cignition team
Your program manager shares participation and learning information and coordinates follow-up. Cignition’s instructional and implementation teams use that information with your school to consider grouping, learning targets, or scheduling adjustments.
Maryland funding landscape
Understand the investment.
Find a relevant pathway.
Start with your school system’s approved budget and the students the program will serve. Federal formula funds, school-level resources, and awarded literacy projects have different purposes. Match the proposed service to the available funding and required approvals.
Selected federal funding for Maryland
FY 2026 · Published statewide awards
Title II, Part A
Educator effectiveness and instructional capacity.
View funding source ↗Title III, Part A
English-language acquisition and support for English learners.
View funding source ↗21st Century Community Learning Centers
Academic enrichment during non-school hours.
View funding source ↗Read the MARYLAND row and Fiscal Year 2026 column in each federal award table. These are statewide allocations, not unspent local funds or a dedicated tutoring budget. Title II generally supports educator capacity. Confirm your district’s allocation, allowable use, and available balance before planning an expense.
Maryland funding pathways
Funding reviewed November 10, 2026Additional learning time.
Start with the school’s needs.
Ongoing formula funding · Local approval required
Who / what it supports
Title I-A supports schools serving communities with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families. Schoolwide and targeted-assistance programs have different planning and student-service requirements.
Where tutoring could fit
Review supplemental reading or mathematics support against the school’s identified needs and approved program. Confirm the students, instructional purpose, service model, and purchasing requirements before selecting a service.
Practical next step: Ask the school system’s federal programs team to verify the available allocation, eligible expenses, required documentation, and service scope.
Review federal Title I-A program guidance ↗A local instructional priority.
Build it into the budget.
State and local resources · School-system authorization required
Who / what it supports
Maryland’s school-funding rules distribute resources through programs including the foundation and compensatory education formulas. School-level allocation requirements guide how those resources reach schools.
Where tutoring could fit
Discuss a proposed math or literacy program with the school’s instructional and finance leaders. They can determine whether an approved school-level budget can support it and which funding category is appropriate.
Practical next step: Confirm the school’s actual budget, permitted use, existing commitments, procurement, and authorization. A formula allocation is not a dedicated tutoring award.
Review Maryland’s school-level funding rules ↗Strengthen literacy systems.
Work from an awarded plan.
Awarded CLSD projects · Project-specific approval required
Who / what it supports
Read and Lead Maryland supports comprehensive literacy work through awarded projects for specific school systems and grade bands. Strategies include structured literacy, MTSS, coaching, professional learning, and instructional materials.
Where tutoring could fit
For a school system with an active award, ask whether proposed tutoring fits its approved strategy, population, and project budget. A literacy-related service is not automatically an allowable expense.
Practical next step: Work with the award’s program and grants leads to confirm scope, remaining funds, spending period, and any MSDE approval. This is not presented as a new open application.
Explore MSDE’s Read and Lead overview ↗Maryland · Program fit & purchasing
Start with fit.
Plan the details.
A new Baltimore City tutoring award.
Baltimore City Public Schools selected Cignition as one of its awarded high-dosage tutoring providers under RFP-26089, approved by the Board on November 4, 2026. Cignition’s approved scope includes virtual mathematics and English language arts for grades K–12.
The initial award term runs November 5, 2026–November 4, 2029, with two one-year renewal options. Schools and central offices select providers according to their needs and budgets. The award does not guarantee purchases or establish that new services have begun.
For literacy, review the proposed lessons alongside the Student Reading Improvement Plan and required instructional approach. For mathematics, discuss the revised standards, tiered-support model, and the instructional qualifications required for the role the school is assigning.
Bring the service scope to instructional, finance, and purchasing leads together. Confirm the funding category, available balance, evidence requirements, applicable tutor qualifications, data protections, and any necessary program approval. District-specific awards and past Maryland partnerships do not establish statewide approval or eligibility for a different funding program.
A few useful questions
What would you like to work through?
Start here, then bring the questions specific to your students and school.
How would tutoring connect with a Student Reading Improvement Plan?
Start with the reading needs identified by the school team. Review proposed lessons, additional instructional time, family communication, and progress updates alongside the school’s plan. Tutoring should have a clear role within the required instructional approach.
How do Maryland’s mathematics changes affect planning?
Maryland is implementing revised PreK–8 mathematics standards in 2026–27, with secondary changes phased in over later school years. Review your school system’s current sequence, materials, and student evidence when discussing tutoring goals.
Could Read and Lead funds support our tutoring plan?
Only the school system’s grants and instructional leads can determine whether a proposed service fits its awarded project. Confirm the approved grade band, strategy, budget, spending period, and any required approval. An award to one school system does not make those funds available statewide.
Have you supported Maryland schools before?
Yes. Cignition has supported Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools. Our 2022–23 Baltimore City program served 960 students across 26 schools. The partnership section also shares historical standards-progress reporting, with the reporting periods and internal measures identified.
Can we review examples of your curriculum?
Yes. The Content Library includes math and ELA grade-band samples. Explore the instructional approach, then discuss the curriculum and Maryland standards connections your school needs. These examples do not establish a comprehensive alignment to the state’s revised standards.
What if I’m looking for help for my own child?
This page focuses on school and district partnerships. For tutoring arranged directly by a family, explore Cignition’s family plans and discuss your child’s learning goals, grade level, and scheduling needs.
Your school’s next step
Let’s plan around
your students.
Planning around early literacy plans, mathematics foundations, and classroom connections? Request curriculum examples, implementation details, evidence, or funding information for your Maryland school before deciding whether to book a call.
On our contact page, choose “Another question” for an information request or “School or district tutoring” to explore a program.