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

KJZZ | By Wayne Schutsky

Published December 24, 2024 at 12:26 PM MST

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.

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