Sylvan Learning's hundreds of tutoring centers can be found all over the United States and in such far-flung spots as Bahrain, Guam and Hong Kong.
The Baltimore-based company is growing geographically, but it's heading in new directions in subject matter as well under new CEO John McAuliffe.
Sylvan's chief financial officer for the past six years, McAuliffe said remedial tutoring in reading and math remain the core of the company's mission and it continues to offer homework and test preparation help. But recently Sylvan has branched into "enrichment" services geared toward specialized areas in science, technology, engineering and math.
The new focus comes as a growing emphasis on STEM skills and career-readiness has spurred demand from parents, said McAuliffe, who stepped into the CEO role in January. He replaced Jeffrey Cohen, Sylvan's CEO for seven years, who left to lead Camden, N.J.-based Catapult Learning Inc. in October.
"We want to stay relevant" and reach "children who want to accelerate and have an interest in different subject matter," McAuliffe said. "The science and technology area seems to be really taking off."
And there's a need for specialized tutoring, McAuliffe said. The company points to a study by Microsoft Corp. and Harris Interactive that showed that most STEM college students decided to study STEM in high school or earlier, but only one in five felt their K-12 education prepared them for college courses.
Sylvan's initiatives include coding programs for third- through fifth-graders that teach game design in small-group classes, a Math Edge program that helps kids master math skills and sharpen speed and accuracy, and a robotics program that introduces concepts such as how pulleys and levers work.
Programs began last year for elementary school grades and will be expanded to middle-school students by the end of the year. The STEM programs have drawn more than 25,000 enrollments since the program started last year.
"There's a large marketplace out there," McAuliffe said. "Parents feel very strongly about helping their kids accelerate and grow in the math area."
STEM tutoring now accounts for less than 10 percent of Sylvan's services but could reach more than 20 percent with the current expansion and by moving into new subject areas. Those could include foreign languages or financial literacy for kids, McAuliffe said.
The CEO believes his company has an edge over competitors because of the range of subjects and because its centers are staffed by part-time teachers and aim to be fun. Sylvan operates 615 franchised centers and 11 that are company-owned.
"We focus on building a child's self-confidence and inspiring their intellectual curiosity and love of learning," he said. "We spend a lot of time on that. We believe you need a teacher, and that teacher is the key to building confidence in the child."
John McAuliffe
Title: CEO, Sylvan Learning
Age: 57
Previous Job: Chief financial officer, Sylvan Learning
Education: B.A., Loyola College, Baltimore
Residence: Reisterstown
Birthplace: Baltimore
Family: Wife, Ann; seven children and a daughter-in-law; expecting first grandchild this month