For many parents and kids grading season isn’t the slam-dunk, high-five, fist-bumping celebration you were hoping for. But you don’t need to hire an expensive tutor or run off to the after-school learning center when straight As prove elusive. Plenty of free and low-cost tools can help give your kid high-quality practice in the foundational reading and math skills that are key to students’ overall performance. And research proves it. The recommendations below are either aligned with current research about learning or have been the focus of independent research that demonstrates their effectiveness. And that’s cause for celebration