Parents,
are you aware that the state of PA has a law now that will provide $500 grants to parents looking for outside tutoring. As the bill is currently written, the only providers that can be approved are large corportations such as Sylvan or schools. Private tutors do not qualify unless they incorporate, ( expensive at best). So stay at home moms who are teachers, homeschool tutors, retired teachers, and tutors like myself who are self employed and use Phono-Graphix methods are excluded since we are not with schools nor work for Sylvan. Please take time to look into House Bill 996,
the webpage for the program is Classroom Plus at www.essp.org
and for information on how to write your representative or senator go to http://www2.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/findyourlegislator/find.cfm
23 million dollars of your tax money has been allocated and the bill offers little in the way of choice,
now teachers who have not taught your kids to read during the school day, can now ask you for $500 and then try to teach them after school with the same old stuff,
please write your state legislator and voice an opinion,
thanks libby maxim
Re: attention Pennsylvania parents on this BBS
Hi Libby,
I have spent months dealing with “the powers that be” regarding this tutor reimbursement.
I have a remedial reading teacher tutor my son 2x a week and needless to say $500 would be a nice drop in the bucket.
I have written my representatives with my experience: the grant states a licensed teacher (no problem mine is), the teacher must register as a tutor (mine would but really doesn’t have time for more kids), the requirement that disqualifies me is my tutor comes to my home. Tutoring must be in an approved facility.
They did not care that my husband is at home while the tutor is there we have smoke alarms, fire extinquishers blah, blah, blah.
No schools in Adams County, Pa have an after school reading or math program available.
So, gang another good government idea that noone considered how it would effect the real world.
Re: attention Pennsylvania parents on this BBS
call the 800 phone number on the essp.org page, you will get an office in Exton, PA outside of Phila, and ask again if you can be reimbursed, as it stands now, you must use appoved tutors and if you check the website the only approved tutors are schools and Sylvan,
every time I call i get different information and i checked Adams county and there are a few tutors listed, but i do think that parents should actually have choice as that is what the bill states,
write to you representative and senator, i did, have not heard back from either or better yet, call your local newspaper and tell them about the Bill that pretends to offer choice and is in effect, just hidden money sneaking back into the public schools or Sylvan,
good luck, keep calling, libby
… incorporating isn’t as tough as it seems.