# The PATHS to Tutor Act: What It Does

This bill creates a federal grant program to bring more tutoring into schools that struggle to attract and keep teachers. The government would give money to partnerships between schools, teacher training programs, and community organizations to hire and train tutors who work with students in small groups or one-on-one. The goal is to help students catch up academically, especially in schools where teacher turnover is high or many teachers are brand new to the profession.

The tutors themselves would be a mix of people—college students studying to become teachers, recent graduates from teacher training programs, teaching assistants, or even retired teachers. These tutors would get paid for their work and receive training before they start. The bill emphasizes that tutoring should happen regularly during the school day or right after school, with tutors working closely with experienced mentors who guide them. The program would also cover practical costs like transportation and meals for students, plus computers and internet access if needed.

The bill sets aside $500 million in federal funding, with at least 85 percent going directly toward paying tutors, mentors, and supporting students. The remaining 15 percent covers administrative costs. The program gives priority to schools that hire tutors from teacher training programs or from historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. Importantly, the bill includes safeguards to make sure tutoring supplements regular teaching rather than replacing teachers, and it requires that tutoring programs use culturally responsive teaching methods and trauma-informed practices to support students' emotional and academic needs.

PATHS to Tutor Act of 2024

Lee, Susie

<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Partnering Aspiring Teachers with High-need Schools to Tutor Act of 2024 or the PATHS to Tutor Act of 2024 This bill expands access to tutoring in hard-to-staff and high-need schools by establishing a grant program. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to local consortia to carry out high-quality tutoring programs. Local consortia refers to partnerships between teacher preparation programs, local educational agencies or individual schools, and community-based organizations. Grant recipients may use these funds for certain activities, including matching and placing tutors, purchasing instructional materials and connectivity resources, and providing transportation and meals to students who attend the tutoring program. ED must also enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service to include tutor positions as approved national service positions.</body></html>