Free Arizona tutoring program that Horne called 'excellent' abruptly ends, shocking some parents

The Arizona Department of Education abruptly ended a free tutoring program funded by federal COVID-19 relief dollars designated to address pandemic-induced learning loss, citing a lack of funds.

The department launched the Achievement Tutoring Program in fall 2023 to provide additional instruction for students in grades 3 to 8 who tested below grade level in reading, writing or math.

“The results have been excellent as students who get this tutoring have shown significant academic growth,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in an Oct. 16 press release announcing the program was extended through the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

But about two months later, the department announced funding had run out.

“As of Monday, Dec. 23rd, the state has announced that the ATP program has officially run out of funding,” according to an email sent to a parent by Sylvan Learning, a private tutoring company that participated in the program.

A statement posted to the department’s website confirmed the program ended after its eighth session, which recently concluded.

“The program was designed to continue until all allocated funds were utilized, and we have now reached that point,” the statement read. “Therefore, Session Eight will be the last session of the Achievement Tutoring Program.”

After taking office in 2023, Horne announced the reallocation of $40 million in COVID relief funds to create the tutoring program. The money allowed qualified students to attend tutoring sessions from participating public school teachers and private companies.

“There was a lot of interest in the program and the funds got used up,” department spokesman Doug Nick said. “We had about $40 million when we started, but that was a finite amount.”

The Arizona Department of Education had approximately $11 million of that money left when it announced the program would continue through the end of the 2024-2025 school year, according to the department.

“The last session was number 7, and that used approx. $4.5 million. Session 6 cost about [$3 million], and earlier sessions also had some costs paid,” Nick said, referring to how that last $11 million was spent.

Nick indicated higher costs associated with private vendors led to the money running out before the end of the school year. He said the federal law governing the COVID relief dollars that funded the tutoring program no longer allowed the money to be used to pay public district staff during the “liquidation period,” the time during which the money had to be spent down prior to the Dec. 31 expiration date.

That “liquidation period,” spanned most of the fall, he said.

“That meant students could only get services through private vendors such as Kumon, Mathnasium, etc. They are more expensive, and the money ran out faster,” Nick said.

The announcement – characterized as “a sudden and drastic change” in the Sylvan email – has come as a shock to some participating families.

Tiffany DiGiacinto, whose third grader received English Language Arts tutoring for two sessions through the free program, said she found out about the program ending through word of mouth, not from the department.

“We were gearing up for the next session, which was supposed to start in January when I found out that they're closing the program without really any warning and, you know, right after they had actually announced it was going to be extended,” DiGiacinto said.

DiGiacinto said the tutoring program supplemented in-school supports that her child sometimes qualified for.

“And so when they opened up this program, it opened up four more hours weekly of dedicated ELA support that he's getting to help him get to where he needs to be to be successful,” DiGiacinto said.

She added, “And so it's really a shame because, you know, I don't know how we're going to fill that void,” she said.

The out-of-pocket costs for those services varies by program. According to Sylan Learning’s website, private tutoring can cost $50 per hour or more, though the company did offer some discounts to existing Achievement Tutoring Program families who wanted to remain in the program.

Kumon, another private tutoring service in Phoenix, charges $140 per month per subject.

The department indicated it would restart the free program if funding becomes available.

“We would love to secure added funding but have nothing available right now,” Nick said.