Let Each One Teach One is based on literature findings that mentor relations facilitate academic success. The program uses the relationship between an elementary or middle school student and an older, more experienced student role model to provide life-skills enrichment, self-image, support, and a sense of belonging. Mentors help participants set personal and academic goals. The participants' study skills are assessed, and mentors provide methods for helping them learn and remember what was discussed in class, plan and write papers, learn methods for math assignments, prepare for a test, complete homework, and improve study at home. Mentors model how they accomplished the foregoing and explore with the students a plan for doing the same. Visualization procedures are used to help students envision themselves as more successful.

The program aims to enhance the protective factors of academic performance, attachment and commitment to school, consistent enforcement of rules regarding behavior, and attachment to prosocial role models.

The program was evaluated using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with comparison groups. The evaluation showed significantly higher posttest results for the treatment group on self-efficacy, grade point average, and teacher conduct ratings when compared with the control group.A paired 't' test showed that treatment group 2 obtained a significantly higher gain in self-efficacy, while treatment group 1 obtained a significantly higher gain in grade point average.