BILL NUMBER: S1820
SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a pilot
program to provide high impact tutoring
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a grant program for high impact tutoring.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the education law to establish a pilot program to
provide high impact tutoring:
Subsection 1 defines terms.
Subsection 2 describes the pilot program: grants will be provided to
local education providers to implement high impact tutoring programs
prioritizing low-income or underserved students to address student
learning loss or unfinished learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandem-
ic.
Subsection 3 describes the application process and demonstration of
need.
Subsection 4 states that DOE will determine the amount and duration of
grants, and determine how to serve as many students as possible most
effectively.
Subsection 5 states allowable uses for grant funds and how high impact
tutoring programs may operate.
Subsection 6 describes reporting requirements for grants.
Section 2 provides for an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
As reported in the New York Times on October 6, 2022, recent standard-
ized testing of 9-year-olds across the country showed that math scores
had dropped seven points since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and reading
scores five points. This drop is equivalent to the academic progress
made in the prior two decades. It is clear that pandemic-related learn-
ing loss is an urgent problem. One tool proven to be very effective in
rectifying this is high impact tutoring. This type of tutoring is
offered in schools, in small groups of students. Evidence has demon-
strated that high impact tutoring results in higher graduation rates and
less absenteeism. It has also been shown to close gaps in learning. As
such, this legislation will establish a pilot grant program to incentiv-
ize high impact tutoring in New York State schools. These programs can
be expensive because they require many tutors and coordination with
schools for in-person learning. Establishing a grant program for high
impact tutoring is an important step towards reversing the learning
losses of the pandemic.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S8327 /A7788
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.