Preserve Free Tutoring!
- by: Tutor Our Children
- recipient: Congress & President Obama
This petition is in support of the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) or free tutoring program now offered under the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) legislation. This important service for students is in danger of being eliminated. Give voice to parents and students trapped in failing schools. For many, free tutoring is a lifeline of education support. Ask Congress to continue the SES program that makes free tutoring possible, while we work to improve the quality of services offered and promote ease of access for working parents and families.
Under current federal law, low-income children who attend a school that fails to make progress for three years may be eligible to receive free tutoring outside of the regular school day. The program allows parents to choose the most appropriate support provider for their children from a list of state-approved organizations. Tutoring is often provided by the same sort of tutors that more affluent parents and families use. If the proposal is adopted, it would mean an end to this important program as funding would be redirected to the same school programs and policies that failed to improve outcomes for students in the first place.
The Tutor Our Children coalition is focused on ensuring SES is included during the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and urges Congress to adhere to the following core principles:
- High Quality Services Must Be Provided. A robust and rigorous accountability system to ensure that students receive high quality supports from a wide range of national and community based providers.
- Tutoring Must Be Funded. Presently, 20% of federal Title I funds are set-aside for Parent Choice Tutoring. Funding must be maintained at this level or expanded.
- Tutoring Must Be Available To The Students That Need It. To protect the welfare of children in our lowest performing schools, this important lifeline must continue to be required.
- Parent Choice Is Essential. When parents are more engaged in the education of their children, their children do better in school. Parents who choose are more involved and more committed to tutoring of their child. Parent choice also is critical for holding tutoring programs accountable for results.
- Current Law Must Be Enforced: Parents deserve the options afforded under the current law. It is the responsibility of the Department of Education to enforce that these options are offered and widely publicized.
Under current federal law, low-income children who attend a school that fails to make progress for three years may be eligible to receive free tutoring outside of the regular school day. The program allows parents to choose the most appropriate support provider for their children from a list of state-approved organizations. Tutoring is often provided by the same sort of tutors that more affluent parents and families use. If the proposal is adopted, it would mean an end to this important program as funding would be redirected to the same school programs and policies that failed to improve outcomes for students in the first place.
The Tutor Our Children coalition is focused on ensuring SES is included during the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and urges Congress to adhere to the following core principles:
- High Quality Services Must Be Provided. A robust and rigorous accountability system to ensure that students receive high quality supports from a wide range of national and community based providers.
- Tutoring Must Be Funded. Presently, 20% of federal Title I funds are set-aside for Parent Choice Tutoring. Funding must be maintained at this level or expanded.
- Tutoring Must Be Available To The Students That Need It. To protect the welfare of children in our lowest performing schools, this important lifeline must continue to be required.
- Parent Choice Is Essential. When parents are more engaged in the education of their children, their children do better in school. Parents who choose are more involved and more committed to tutoring of their child. Parent choice also is critical for holding tutoring programs accountable for results.
- Current Law Must Be Enforced: Parents deserve the options afforded under the current law. It is the responsibility of the Department of Education to enforce that these options are offered and widely publicized.
We the undersigned believe that the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) component with the current No Child Left Behind Act must be included in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The SES program provides needed free tutoring to low-income children in failing schools.
Furthermore, we believe that allowing parents and families a choice of tutoring options for their child is an important way of empowering parents, encouraging their involvement in the academic life of their child, and extending the learning day for students.
Although national education policy is set in Washington, parents, families and children in every community will feel its impact. Under current federal law, low-income children who attend a school that fails to make progress for three years may be eligible to receive free tutoring outside of the regular school day. The program allows parents to choose the most appropriate support provider for their children from a list of state-approved organizations. In many cases low-income families can choose the same tutors that more affluent parents and families use.
The Obama administration has proposed to end this program which would deny thousands of students the opportunity to receive extra academic help. The proposed change in the law would mean an end to this important program as funding would be redirected to the same school programs and policies that failed to improve outcomes for students in the first place.
Show your support for free tutoring and empowerment of parents in choices for the education of their children.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionFurthermore, we believe that allowing parents and families a choice of tutoring options for their child is an important way of empowering parents, encouraging their involvement in the academic life of their child, and extending the learning day for students.
Although national education policy is set in Washington, parents, families and children in every community will feel its impact. Under current federal law, low-income children who attend a school that fails to make progress for three years may be eligible to receive free tutoring outside of the regular school day. The program allows parents to choose the most appropriate support provider for their children from a list of state-approved organizations. In many cases low-income families can choose the same tutors that more affluent parents and families use.
The Obama administration has proposed to end this program which would deny thousands of students the opportunity to receive extra academic help. The proposed change in the law would mean an end to this important program as funding would be redirected to the same school programs and policies that failed to improve outcomes for students in the first place.
Show your support for free tutoring and empowerment of parents in choices for the education of their children.
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