LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Parents in Arkansas will now have access to additional tutoring services for their children thanks to the Arkansas Department of Education's Literacy Tutoring Grant Program.
Qualifying families across the state will now be able to access up to $500 in literacy tutoring services from state-approved providers.
Over 20,000 Arkansas students ranging from kindergarten to third grade will be eligible for the program if they are at risk of reading difficulties, didn't score well on state assessments, or if they were held back in the third grade.
School districts will notify parents of their child's eligibility by February 26, 2024.
"Before the third grade, kids are learning to read,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. “After that, they’re reading to learn. If Arkansas students aren’t meeting that critical benchmark, we are setting them up for failure. I’m proud Arkansas LEARNS is giving us another tool to raise early literacy in our state, and I know Arkansans will see the benefits of this program for years to come.”
Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva explained how a comprehensive change was necessary because so far, the educational status quo has not worked.
"Because of LEARNS, parents are empowered to choose schools that are best for their children, and they now have an opportunity to pick tutoring providers to assist their children who are struggling academically. We are confident we are moving in the right direction, and with this program, we are giving students the opportunity to excel," he added.
An approved list of tutoring services is available here, and parents will be able to select a vendor and ADE will issue payment directly to them.
To learn more about the program, please click here.