In the early days of online learning, before the rise of YouTube and broadband, Jimmy Mathew, VP of Marketing at Excelsior Online Education, was already working to make education engaging and accessible for all students. Now, with over 20 years in EdTech, Jimmy tackles the modern challenges of student engagement, attention, and learning loss, especially for K-12 students in North America. In this EdTech Mentor conversation, hosted by Laureano Díaz, CSO of 27zero, Jimmy shares his insights on leveraging new technologies, building strong relationships with school districts, and the value of one-on-one learning support.
I appreciate the invitation for this conversation. I’m Jimmy, and I’ve been in EdTech for over 20 years. My background was actually in fine arts, which is what I studied. I went to a fantastic school where I could design my own degree, blending creativity and technology, which fascinated me. My father was in advertising and an artist, so I followed that path, initially studying painting. I loved technology too, though, so I wanted to integrate creative and tech skills. Carnegie Mellon fostered this perfectly with both an excellent creative arts program and one of the top tech programs, allowing me to explore both traditional art and tech areas like animation, robotics, and human-computer interaction.
At my first job with Laureate Education, I worked on blending media to make educational content more engaging. Laureate offered career-oriented courses, and the challenge was to move beyond simple "talking heads" to create engaging content. This experience ignited my passion for combining creativity and tech within education. Since then, I've gained a deep understanding of EdTech needs and watched the field evolve considerably.
Yes, this was around 2003, before platforms like YouTube. We had to be resourceful with what was available, like Windows Media Player and Real Media Player. Video streaming tech wasn’t widely accessible, and file sizes mattered since many people still used dial-up. We developed a proprietary solution for high-quality recording and tackled latency and file size issues, especially as broadband was just emerging. We even synced course slides to lectures so students felt more connected, almost like they were in a classroom watching a live lecture with slides.
Back then, simply using video was novel enough to hold attention. Today, keeping attention requires much more, especially with content that can be dense. We coach instructors to be more engaging, as many aren't used to interacting with online audiences. Gamification is a popular way to keep students engaged, and AI is now helping track how students learn. The engagement challenge remains, but we now have a broader set of tools to support it, and it's about picking the right ones for the context.
I joined Excelsior about three years ago with a mandate to address learning loss, especially during COVID. We aimed to help students, teachers, and school districts mitigate learning setbacks. We quickly developed a program, launching it within six months. Initially, two school districts implemented it successfully, and the following year we expanded to five. My role covers both marketing and helping develop the platform, working closely with content and curriculum teams to ensure everything aligns effectively.
Sure. Our focus is online learning tailored to students needing extra support, like those who've fallen behind. School districts identify these students, and we offer 45-50 minute after-school sessions with one-on-one teachers. Sometimes it's homework help; other times, it's subject-specific tutoring, with high demand in math and reading, plus ESL support. We primarily serve K-12 students and sometimes handle specific needs, like supporting a summer program where students can access additional help as needed.
School districts schedule sessions based on the number of students they want to support, working with us to align with the academic year. Our approach emphasizes quality, with all our teachers certified in California, unlike many tutoring services. We also engage with parents, aiming to enhance student engagement and address attendance issues. Feedback has been positive, with students reporting real learning gains from even a single session. It’s all about engaging students to make learning impactful.
It depends. For example, during a summer session with Baltimore Park, all students were in one classroom, so we provided virtual group instruction. We use what’s called "virtual push-in"—a teacher virtually joins the classroom, addressing the group but also able to conduct breakout sessions for individual help.
That would be the superintendent. Since districts often act like “walled gardens,” they’re flooded with vendor options, making it hard to get in. However, coming in with trusted referrals helps. Ultimately, the product must prove its value. Districts are cautious with spending and prioritize quality at the best price.
We serve diverse socioeconomic demographics, from high-income districts to those at the lower end. Our approach involves going out to the schools, meeting with staff, and even introducing ourselves to students. For instance, in Inglewood, where many students are Hispanic or African-American, the teachers emphasized how our service provides valuable tutoring access not typically available due to cost. One teacher told students, "Don’t let your zip code dictate your future," which resonated deeply. These students have the passion to learn—they just need the opportunity.
We’ve tried various approaches, from traditional lead generation and event attendance to setting up our own events. A tactic that’s worked well is hosting events where we can interact with school leaders directly, like a recent golf tournament for superintendents. These interactions allow us to learn about their specific needs, helping us demonstrate how our solutions can fit their challenges.
Definitely. While tactics like Facebook ads are good for brand awareness, they’re less effective for reaching our target segments. In education, it’s a tight-knit community where relationships are key. Word of mouth is powerful—once one district or school sees success with our product, others take notice. Ultimately, having an excellent product that sells itself is crucial, but building relationships is essential for this market.
Certainly. Superintendents handle a range of vendors—from food services to tech, even billing and insurance. In public education, the approval process is rigorous, with committees and reviews. The sales cycle is generally quicker in private or charter schools since they don’t have the same bureaucracy. For new products, it’s especially challenging to get noticed among the competition. However, districts might use multiple vendors for different needs, so differentiation is key. If your product clearly provides value, you stand a better chance.
Sure. Brand building is about creating value that even a child can understand. You have to know exactly who your audience is and what sets you apart from others. Brand building is a process and takes time, from creating a memorable logo to fostering strong word of mouth. Our success has come through exceptional customer service with schools, teachers, and parents. If a student has a tech issue, we’re on it immediately—parents remember that and tell the school about their positive experience, which helps build our reputation.
Initially, we used staffing agencies, but we found they didn’t meet our specific needs. We started doing it in-house, with high-quality results by using our current teachers to recruit others. It wasn’t hard to find teachers; the challenge was finding the right ones. This approach paid off. Some teachers became so popular with students that parents even requested specific teachers or asked if we could provide our services directly to them. This feedback helped us develop our offerings further.
Each week, we send reports to the schools and districts, highlighting parent feedback collected through post-session surveys. We share positive comments, and if there’s room for improvement, we include that too. However, we only share this feedback internally and with schools due to privacy constraints, so they see our program’s impact.
LinkedIn was great for recruiting teachers, as most have profiles there. It helped us reach out and showcase our company. We used LinkedIn more as a networking platform than an ad platform, posting updates and milestones. Meta was less useful for reaching school districts, but effective when we expanded to private tutoring for parents, which required a different marketing approach.
K-12 is a tough market due to its “walled garden” nature. Our focus has been on ensuring an A+ product, service, and measurable results. Districts care most about results—does your product make a difference for students? That’s what we emphasize, and it’s been key to building trust and gaining access to these markets.
One of the best indicators is when a parent asks if they can pay for additional sessions beyond what the district provides. This kind of demand validated our product’s impact and helped us expand our offerings.
Keep learning. Read more, network, and learn from others. It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day tasks, but staying educated is invaluable in this fast-evolving industry. With changes like AI and augmented reality, it’s important to stay ahead and understand the latest advancements.
