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AEP Online |
Florida’s Move to Tutor Students is Reversed by Federal AuthoritiesThis month, the Florida Department of Education allowed several districts to offer tutoring services to students who were making slow progress in meeting state achievement standards under the No Child Left Behind Act. But last week, in the face of complaints by the private tutoring industry, and under orders by federal officials, the districts’ programs were shut down. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires high-poverty schools that fall short of federal achievement standards for three years in a row to offer free tutoring services. The district-run programs provided by the Florida districts contradicted the federal requirement that such tutoring be provided either by private companies or by districts that have received a federal waiver. Though U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently granted a waiver to the Chicago school district, allowing the district to provide tutoring for its own struggling students from high-poverty schools, the Department of Education last week ordered Florida officials to enroll students with private providers. Districts are required to set aside between 5 and 20 percent of their Title I funding for tutoring programs. And according to the St. Petersburg Times, federally-mandated private tutoring has grown into a $2.5 billion business nationwide. In Florida alone, there are up to 350,000 students who are eligible for free tutoring assistance. Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 856-241-7772. |
"Complaints doom tutoring programs" |
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