Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne declared that students who fail to pass in reading, writing, and math will be eligible for free assistance. $40 Million will be set aside for an initiative to alleviate post-COVID-19 learning deficits that occurred during the pandemic announced by the Arizona Department of Education. At a press conference, Â
Over the course of a six-week period, the funds will pay for more than a million hours of teaching on a four-day basis. According to Horne, the tutoring would either be carried out by a licensed instructor or an independent company that has received state approval. $30 per hour will be paid to teachers. They will receive an additional $200 stipend if they achieve enough improvement over that six-week period. A teacher who can find the time to tutor students could make an overall salary of $8,000. According to Horne, “this will help the teachers increase their income.”
However, admission to the tutoring program will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Only first through eighth graders attending public and charter schools are eligible. Through the website of the Arizona Department of Education, parents can make a request.
Details about the tutoring program are expected to be posted on the department’s website, AZED.gov, around Sept. 15.