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Statewide high‑dosage tutoring rollout underway; districts report early gains, tight timelines and vendor vetting challenges
Summary
LDOE briefed BESE on Act 771 implementation: $30 million in state funds distributed to districts for high‑dosage tutoring (K–5). Superintendents from West Feliciana, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge described scheduling, vendor selection, parent feedback and early assessment gains.
The BESE committee received an update on the state’s high‑dosage tutoring program (Act 771) on Jan. 9: the Department of Education has distributed roughly $29 million of a $30 million appropriation to districts to provide targeted tutoring for K–5 students who did not achieve mastery on statewide literacy or math screeners.
Why it matters: The law requires tutoring aligned with core instruction, beginning within 30 days of identification, delivered at least three times a week for roughly 10 weeks, generally in groups of four or fewer students. Advocates and local leaders describe the model as a high‑leverage, research‑based intervention that could reduce chronic gaps if implemented with fidelity.
District reports: Hollis Milton, Superintendent of West Feliciana Parish, said the district embedded tutoring during the school day and uses frequent progress monitoring (DIBELS, MAP) to measure gains. “Having that tutoring during the day is just — it’s unbelievable,” Milton said, and presented data showing substantial growth in early grades after roughly 10 weeks of intervention.
Jefferson Parish Superintendent (named in transcript as “Superintendent Gray”) said Jefferson was able to plug tutoring into existing routines and focus funds on vendor partnerships for targeted grade bands; the district is partnering with researchers to evaluate impact. East Baton Rouge Superintendent Lamont Kohl said EBR used early vendor approvals and existing digital programs (Zearn, Amira, Lexia) to start implementation and reported increased usage metrics from fall to winter assessment windows.
Implementation challenges and lessons: District leaders told the committee the timeline from appropriation to the start of the school year was compressed; vetting and approving vendors took time, scheduling during the regular school day required careful tradeoffs, and lower elementary students acclimated more slowly to virtual tutoring than upper-elementary students. Several superintendents emphasized the importance of consistent tutors, aligned materials, and clear parent communication.
Board actions and next steps: The department reported that nearly every local education agency has an approved plan and that monitoring and reporting will continue. Several BESE members stressed that future legislative requests for recurring funding must be backed by standardized outcome data. LDOE said it will continue to collect implementation and expense data and perform monitoring visits to support fidelity.
