Educational Assistance Program

The Educational Assistance Program currently provides funding for districts to implement tutoring in the areas of Reading and Mathematics, some for K-12 students with most in grades 7-12.  Of the 171 of the 175 eligible districts currently receiving funding, districts are tutoring approximately 75,000 students. This is problematic as that in those 171 EAP districts, 158,259 students are basic and below basic in reading and 149,139 students are basic and below basic in mathematics. Should we tutor all students in EAP districts who scored basic and below basic in reading and math on PSSA; 307,398 students would be eligible for tutoring in reading and math.

The $66 million dollars the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania invests in our most struggling students has made a difference in the lives of children who are significantly discrepant in the areas of Reading and Mathematics, specifically students who are 2 or more years below grade level. The per student expenditure in EAP districts is approximately $880 per student per year. At the current funding level, if all basic and below basic students were tutored in EAP districts the per student cost would be $214 dollars per year.  Should the Commonwealth provide tutoring for all students in EAP districts at the current cost ($880 per student), the funding needed would be approximately $270 million per year.

For additional information:  www.pde.state.pa.us/tutoring