NYT: Lucrative Brand of (fed-funded) Tutoring Grows Unchecked (NCLB)

A Lucrative Brand of Tutoring Grows Unchecked
By SUSAN SAULNY

Published: April 4, 2005


Propelled by the No Child Left Behind law, the federally financed tutoring industry has doubled in size in each of the last two years, with the potential to become a $2 billion-a-year enterprise, market analysts say.

Tutors are paid as much as $1,997 per child, and companies eager to get a piece of the lucrative business have offered parents computers and gift certificates as inducements to sign up, provided tutors that in some cases are still in high school and have made promises they cannot deliver.

This new brand of tutoring is offered to parents by private companies and other groups at no charge if their children attend a failing school. But it is virtually without regulation or oversight, causing concern among school districts, elected officials and some industry executives. Some in Congress are calling for regulations or quality standards to ensure that tutors are qualified and that the companies provide services that meet students' needs....

***

Critics are particularly concerned about aggressive marketing tactics, like the offers of computers, gift certificates and basketball tickets, though they acknowledge that such practices do not violate the law.

Students are not required to enroll in a tutoring program. It is merely offered at poor schools that have been deemed "failing" for two years in a row. But because families can choose from a list of state-approved providers, that has contributed to aggressive solicitations by some tutoring groups....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/04/education/04tutor.html

One of these tutoring companies approached our Neighborhood Association out of the blue, offered us$x per student if we'd let them set up shop in our building.

I discovered this same information,that the feds require tutoring be made available for all low income students in failing schools and the money come from the school district. Plus, the local schools are prohibited from any and all involvement in the students or parents choice of tutoring agency.
So if your school is not making adequate yearly progress (AYP), how do you think your school will do with less money. We're taking public school money and giving it to these tutoring agencies.

It's a racket. We voted it down. Our executive director asked us what she was supposed to tell the tutoring people about our refusal.
"Tell 'em your board said NO"

As a teacher, I thought, hey, earn some extra money, tutor at Score.

Hell no! They run education like a business. They lie to parents. My "supervisor" had never steped one foot in the classroom as a teacher. Needless to say, as a primary teacher (grades K-3) I really didn't need this idiot telling me how to give a reading test. They placed children in reading levels based on some articifial leveler.

I could go on and on. I quite after a few weeks on" moral grounds.," When they asked what that meant, I said I was in education, not corporate take over of education. I teach children not try to put round pegs into their pre-designed square holes. I went into further detail. The sticking point, I refused to lie to parents in order to get them to shell out even more money.

P.S. Of all the instructors and "supervisors there" I was the ONLY ONE with a TEACHING CREDENTIAL and TEACHING EXPERIENCE. The parents never think to sk because they just assumed. When I started telling the parents, they were PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Please PM me if you're a parent with questions about tutoring centers and I'll help you where I can.

incidentally, this story ran on page one of the Times today.

Tear it open, leave it to the wolves.

No matter what policy the Regime sets, the purpose behind it is to get money into the hands of bu$hler's cronies. Imagine if Clinton had pulled some crap like this!

for proof that behind every action and policy of the Bush cabal is the opportunity to put money in the pockets of their cronies and supporters.

There's always a crony at the end of the ripoff rainbow.

Isn't one of his brothers involved with educational software?

The Repubs'll take that as a victory any day.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/8/125556/7027

but Neil Bush benefits directly from No Child Left Behind, picking pockets in all school districts as his software company preps students for the standardized tests required by NCLB.

Neil Bush founded Ignite Incorporated, a software company that helps students prepare to take comprehensive tests required under the No Child Left Behind act. A phone call by one of the readers of my blog to Ignite's toll free number reached a company directory that was able to locate Neil Bush's extension -- so it's still his baby with the dough rolling in.

end excerpt:

Guess which state, Neil is targeting.... wait for it ..... Bingo, Florida

http://www.flanews.com/archives2002/1028School.htm

of course, Jebthro claims there is no preferential treatment. And your shit doesn't smell.

How many millions are going straight from the test producers into Mepublican campaigns? Scum.