Tom Horne announces $40 million tutoring program for elementary students
The program will be available in October
PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is making $40 million available to parents of elementary students to pay for free tutoring beginning October 2.
Free tutoring will include reading, writing, and math.
The Arizona Department of Education said the amount will pay for approximately 1.3 million hours of tutoring and participating public school teachers will earn added income as tutors.
There will also be private tutoring companies included as an option for parents.
Horne said, “My first priority as Superintendent is to raise academic outcomes, therefore I am making $40 million available so parents whose children did not test as proficient can get free tutoring for students in first through eighth grades.”
He added, “Public school teachers who tutor will be paid $30 an hour and will earn a $200 stipend for each student who shows a one-half-year gain from the tutoring. A teacher who tutors the maximum amount would earn an extra approximately $8,000. I believe teachers deserve more pay, which is why I supported Rep. Matt Gress’s recent bill for a $10,000 raise. I was shocked to see that the Governor and teachers’ union opposed it. If they won’t help teachers get more money, I will.”
According to the Arizona Department of Education, federal funds were allocated to overcome pandemic-related learning loss that was distributed to multiple organizations in the state by the previous state schools superintendent in late 2021.
The Department of Education staff asked them last month to provide evidence of the academic impact of their work.
And those who could not show reasonable impact for the money had their contracts canceled or reduced.
The Arizona Department of Education said this is the funding source for the $40 million that will be used for the tutoring program.
Click HERE for additional details that will be available about the program beginning September 15.
