The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is launching the High-Impact Tutoring Grant Program to all public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools for the 2024-2025 school year. As established by the LEARNS Act, this program will provide grants to districts and charter schools to cover major costs associated with delivering high-impact tutoring services during school for eligible students in grades K-12 for Math and/or ELA during the 2024-2025 school year. Participating districts are expected to leverage grant funding to provide support and resources for tutoring and submit tutoring data to DESE. Applications are available here and are due by May 31, 2024. More information and resources on the high-impact tutoring program are available on the program website here. 

High-Impact Tutoring 

Research shows that high-impact tutoring is one of the most effective interventions to accelerate student learning. Tutoring programs are generally considered high-impact when they are: 

• Data-driven with student results, characteristics, and progress guiding decision-making;
• Provided in small groups (i.e., four or fewer); 
• Provided for a minimum of three times per week, at least 30 minutes a session, or a comparable model that provides direct tutoring based on specific skills needed;
• Provided by a consistent tutor or limited, consistent set of tutors that sustain strong relationships with students; 
• Implemented during the school day, rather than as a before or after school program; and
• Supplemental to core academic instruction and not a replacement for such instruction. Supplemental instruction may include small group instructional time where students might otherwise be working independently.
  
  

Interested districts should consider how they can implement these components of high-impact tutoring into their program design. Districts and open-enrollment public charter schools are encouraged to partner with an approved tutoring provider to help design, deliver, and monitor tutoring services. The list of approved providers for the high-impact tutoring pilot program is available here. 

Program Requirements 

Eligible students should be identified by the district based on their state assessment scores, interim assessment scores, or classroom performance. Districts may use funds for:

• Contracting for products and services related to high-impact tutoring from the approved provider list;
• Hiring or contracting for tutors or providing stipends or other incentives to paraprofessionals, retired teachers, and community organizations to ensure maximum tutoring capacity;
• Administrative expenses, including as-needed additional staff to support high-impact tutoring implementation and
• Costs associated with technology-enabled tutoring solutions and devices.

Additionally, selected participants will receive technical support and additional guidance from DESE. Participating districts may be required to attend awardee webinars and check-ins with DESE staff. 

Participating districts are required to submit tutoring data, including the number of students eligible and served, student attendance and dosage, and student growth, to the state. DESE provides a template, guidance, and support for submitting data. 

Selected districts and open-enrollment public charter schools are expected to deliver high-impact tutoring to eligible students during the 2024-2025 school year.

District Application Process

Districts and open-enrollment public charter schools currently participating in the High-Impact Tutoring Program Grant for the 2023-2024 school are encouraged to re-apply. Prior participation is not required to apply or participate in the program for the 2024-2025 school year. New grant funding is available for the 2024-2025 school year, but current grantees may also opt to roll over existing funding in lieu of requesting new funds.  Approval for currently participating grantees is contingent upon submission of requested implementation data to DESE. 

DESE will hold an informational webinar on the program and application process on May 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Districts interested in applying should submit a completed or modified application to ade.tutoring@ade.arkansas.gov by May 31, 2024. DESE will notify districts of their award status by June 30, 2024. Participating districts and open-enrollment public charter schools should plan to launch their high-impact tutoring program within the first 30 days of the 2024-2025 school year.

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