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Updated, March 31

Funding for high-dosage tutoring, a strategy researchers say could be the way to help students re-gain missed learning, appears likely to be left out of New York state鈥檚 2024 budget.

In a response to Gov. Kathy Hochul鈥檚 proposed $227 billion spending plan, lawmakers formally rejected a clause that would have devoted $250 million for school districts鈥� tutoring efforts. Though negotiations are ongoing over the finalized budget, which is due April 1, neither chamber endorsed the tutoring measure, indicating its chances of success may be slim.

The money will still reach schools as part of a total $24 billion distributed via , a state funding formula that prioritizes high-needs districts. But school systems will have no obligation to spend the funds on tutoring.

The move was largely overshadowed by the legislature鈥檚 simultaneous , an action state legislators also delivered within their response to the governor鈥檚 budget. But while the charter debate has grabbed headlines, the scope of the tutoring decision may perhaps be farther-reaching, as experts warn COVID learning losses could if not addressed immediately.

Just days before the news from Albany, New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a that found New York鈥檚 fourth graders had lost twice as much ground in reading and math from 2019 to 2022 on national tests as the national average. New York鈥檚 fourth-grade math learning loss was estimated to equal 30 weeks of learning delays, or nearly an entire school year. DiNapoli school leaders to 鈥渁ct quickly鈥� to remedy the stark declines.

Michael Duffy is the president of the , a New York-based organization that brings tutors into public school classrooms for one-on-one or small-group lessons. The legislature鈥檚 recent rejection of the governor鈥檚 tutoring proposal is a 鈥渕issed opportunity,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 think that those dollars would have been a really important way to help level the playing field,鈥� Duffy said, explaining that the private market typically renders one-on-one tutoring accessible only to the well-off. 

Schools in New York and across the country are armed with billions of dollars in COVID relief money, much of which they are required to spend on learning recovery efforts such as tutoring. Yet across the country, just a fraction of students are actually accessing tutoring via their school district 鈥� in many large systems, . 

Empire State districts received a total of $14 billion and had spent approximately 40% of their stimulus allotment as of Jan. 31, . Funds are set to expire in September 2024.

In addition to federal money, New York is also boosting its state aid to schools by $2.7 billion above this year鈥檚 level. The total $24 billion in Foundation Aid will mark the first time in the 15-year history of the formula that it has been fully funded, a key Hochul campaign promise.

“Gov. Hochul’s Executive Budget makes transformative investments to make New York more affordable, more livable and safer, and she looks forward to working with the legislature on a final budget that meets the needs of all New Yorkers,鈥� a governor鈥檚 spokesperson wrote in an email.

The governor鈥檚 office declined to comment on why the legislature blocked the tutoring proposal or whether the governor would propose any alternative learning acceleration policies in its place. 

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie did not respond to requests for comment.

Robert Lowry, communications director for New York鈥檚 Council of School Superintendents, said his organization opposed the tutoring measure.

鈥淚t was not a well-thought-out proposal,鈥� he said, explaining that many school leaders support tutoring and other academic recovery efforts, but fear they might face staffing challenges that could leave funds unspent if too narrowly earmarked. He also criticized the state鈥檚 emphasis on tutoring from grades 3-8 without serving younger or older students and the move to add requirements to aid originally intended to provide unrestricted funds.

Even without a state mandate, over twice as many superintendents reported that they are investing in extra academic help for their students, according to carried out by the Council, Lowry said.

Tutoring 鈥渕ay be a promising model,鈥� Lowry acknowledged. But the proposal from Hochul was too 鈥渞igidly constructed,鈥� he said.

Ashara Baker, the National Parent Union鈥檚 New York state director, countered that setting aside money for tutoring is necessary in the face of what she says are inconsistent academic recovery efforts across districts.

鈥溾�嬧�婩amilies have lost trust in school leaders to be transparent about how much they鈥檙e willing to invest in getting our kids on track. This dedicated fund will ensure districts will all be accountable in investing in tutoring,鈥� Baker said in an emailed statement.

Despite any efforts to recoup academic losses, observers still fear a continued dip in student learning. The New York Board of Regents recently announced it would be for 鈥減roficiency鈥� on state tests, citing last year鈥檚 lower scores as a 鈥渘ew normal.鈥� In Schenectady, an extreme case, no eighth grader scored proficient on the math test last year.

Eliandra West runs , a company that works with schools to help students with disabilities. Tutoring, the educator said, has been the tactic that鈥檚 triggered the best results for the struggling students she serves.

鈥淥ne-on-one sessions have been the most instrumental [approach] in guiding students to find their voice in the learning process,鈥� she said.

It鈥檚 what Duffy, at the GO Foundation, has also seen 鈥� and why he鈥檚 disappointed by lawmakers鈥� move to cut the statewide tutoring proposal.

鈥淓very kid benefits from the attention of a tutor,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is the future of education.鈥�

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