Indiana one of Four States Chosen for Federal Tutoring Program

Three Indiana school corporations granted earlier access to free tutoring through pilot

INDIANA - The United States Department of Education has selected Indiana and three other states (Alaska, North Carolina and Virginia) to participate in a pilot program providing expanded access to student tutoring services. Three Indiana school corporations will join a total of 19 participating districts nationwide this year.

MSD Decatur Township in Indianapolis and Monroe County Community School Corporation in Bloomington are participating in the pilot for the second straight year with Blackford County Schools in Hartford City entering the program for the first time in 2007-08.

“We know that all students can meet high standards when provided the help they need to succeed,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed. “Offering students earlier access to tutoring services is one way we can support school improvement.”

To take part in the pilot program, the Indiana Department of Education was required 1) to demonstrate that a system for evaluating the effectiveness of state-approved Supplemental Education Services (SES) providers was in place and 2) to verify that the state’s school districts provided sufficient and timely notice to families whose students qualify for free- and reduced-price lunch that the tutoring services were available.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires public schools to show adequate yearly progress (AYP) in student academic achievement on state tests. The law includes consequences for public schools that participate in the federal Title I program and do not make AYP. Title I schools, those with high percentages of students from low-income families, receive additional federal funding to help educate these at-risk students.

After not making AYP for two consecutive years, Title I schools enter “improvement status” which consists of a series of increasing interventions for each consecutive year the school does not make AYP, including: 1) School choice; 2) Supplemental services; 3) Corrective action; 4) Restructuring planning and 5) Restructuring implementation. The federal pilot program allows participating school districts to offer “supplemental services” (which includes tutoring) in the first year of improvement status. Normally, tutoring and related services are not available until the second year of improvement status.

For more information on Title I improvement status and other issues related to NCLB, visit www.doe.state.in.us/ayp.

Technorati Tags: News Education Indiana Department of Education Indiana DOE