The Hillsborough County School Board approved an expansion on Aug. 26 of the Chapter 1 NFP high-impact tutoring program from kindergarten–first grade to kindergarten–second grade at 14 elementary schools.

District staff said Chapter 1 NFP provided individualized, high-impact tutoring last year to K–1 students at the selected 14 sites and that site administrators who responded to end-of-year surveys “strongly agreed” the program integrated easily and produced value. The program uses curriculum aligned to the district’s UFLI foundations and provides one-on-one or small-group tutoring during the school day.

Tracy Bergman, who leads district literacy efforts, described the program as providing targeted intensity and data collection while freeing teachers to continue core instruction. Board members unanimously approved the expansion on a motion by Member Gray and a second by Member Combs.

A trustee asked why the contract was sole source. Staff explained Chapter 1 NFP is a nonprofit that delivers face-to-face, in-class tutoring (district staff said other providers were either virtual or provided after-school services rather than the embedded classroom support that Chapter 1 offers). District staff also told the board that the increase in contract amount reflected expansion into second grade and the need to add roughly 40 additional classroom-tutor assignments and accompanying project management.

Board members said they would visit sites and monitor the program’s implementation and results.