Guide Seeks New Clarity on Tutoring

Ed. Dept. Spells Out Roles For States, School Districts

In an attempt to respond to confusion about—or resistance to—the tutoring requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance last week outlining what it expects states and school districts to do in supplying the help to needy children.

The department issued the nonregulatory guidance in the wake of mounting questions about who should implement various parts of the law, and how. The 55-page document marks the first update since August 2003 of guidance on the free “supplemental educational services” that districts must offer to poor children in schools that have failed to make enough academic progress for three years in a row.

Key areas covered include those that have sparked high-profile disagreements between the federal government and states or districts, and those that...