The Calsoyas Group, LLC, creators of Torace, in partnership with the Center for Education Data Research (CEDR) at the University of Washington, has been awarded a $1 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education. The award will fund the research and development of a new tool that will enhance Torace’s existing matching platform by supporting the identification of highly effective mentor teachers.
Student teaching is one of the most influential components of teacher preparation. Research shows that the quality of a teacher candidate’s clinical placement strongly predicts their effectiveness once they enter the classroom. Yet, most school districts still make mentor assignments with limited information about a mentor teacher’s instructional track record or suitability.
To address this challenge, The Calsoyas Group developed Torace, an online platform that streamlines mentor matching using self-reported and institutional data.
With SBIR Phase II funding, Torace will build a new tool to give district administrators deeper insight into mentor teacher qualifications. The tool will integrate with the Torace platform to surface key performance indicators, automate eligibility rules, and recommend matches based on both mentor quality and educator preparation program needs.
“It is an honor to have this opportunity to work in collaboration with the researchers at CEDR, our K-12 pilot districts, and their partners in higher education to develop tools that will help strengthen teacher preparation!”
- Aleka Calsoyas, CEO and Co-Founder of Torace
The enhanced platform will enable school districts and educator preparation programs to make data-informed placements that support more equitable, effective, and sustainable mentor-mentee relationships.
About Torace
Torace is an AI-powered mentor matching platform purpose-built for the education sector. It helps school districts and educator preparation programs improve student teacher placements, strengthen mentor relationships, and boost teacher retention by matching mentors and mentees based on preferences, performance data, and institutional goals.
About CEDR
CEDR seeks to do research that informs policymaking and practice, improving the life prospects of students and promoting the equality of educational opportunity. CEDR's research team has a long, demonstrated track record of conducting high-quality, policy-relevant education research on a variety of education topics which range from studying the broad array of human capital policies that influence the composition, distribution, and quality of teachers in the workforce, to assessing the implications of targeted school interventions and the various accountability policies under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), to the implications of charter schools and vouchers.
This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under contract number 91990025C0104. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
