TUTORING 101
Who is eligible for Supplemental Educational Services?
There are typically two criteria: Students must qualify for the free and reduced lunch program and attend a school with a high proportion of low-income students that has failed to make adequate yearly progress for three or more years. Low academic achievers receive priority if too many students enroll for the available slots.
Who pays for it? Schools must pay for tutoring with federal assistance that would typically go to other programs for low-income families.
Who picks the tutor? Parents make the selection. They can ask school officials for help, but officials are not supposed to steer parents to specific providers.
What is the goal? To narrow the achievement gap by increasing student proficiency in math, reading, science and language arts.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES
• Monday: Before two local school districts fired 1 to 1 Tutor, Minnesota officials overruled a review panel and approved the company's flawed application.
• Tuesday: Minnesota bars tutoring firms from offering incentives worth more than $50. So why are online vendors giving pricey computers to low-income families?
