State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has signaled that he wants the Arizona legislature to change how $5.8 million in state money is doled out for tutoring.
Mr. Horne will attempt to increase the number of private tutoring companies available to help students and raise the amount of tutoring money for high school students at risk of failing the Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards test, which students must pass to graduate. “You want to provide every possible opportunity for the students to pass the test,” he said in an interview.
Mr. Horne is proposing to direct more state tutoring to juniors and seniors who have not passed the reading, writing, or math part of the exam. He would also target high schools and districts that fell short of requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
He also wants to change the agreements with the private tutoring companies so that the renewal of contracts will be contingent on their ability to raise student test scores. Currently, payment can be withheld if scores don’t improve.
