PATHS to Tutor Act of 2021

To establish a grant program for innovative partnerships among teacher preparation programs, local educational agencies, and community-based organizations to expand access to high-quality tutoring in hard-to-staff schools and high-need schools, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Partnering Aspiring Teachers with High-need Schools to Tutor Act of 2021 PATHS to Tutor Act of 2021 2. Grant program for high-quality tutoring (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Educational service agency The term educational service agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (2) Educator preparation program The term educator preparation program (3) Hard-to-staff school The term hard-to-staff school (4) High-need school The term high-need school 20 U.S.C. 6631 (5) High-quality tutoring The term high-quality tutoring (A) that is provided by a tutor; (B) that is one-on-one or in a small group not to exceed a ratio of 1 to 4, or a small group ratio based on evidence deemed sufficient by the State educational agency in the State in which the tutoring takes place; (C) that includes plans and time for tutors to collaborate; (D) that— (i) includes multiple sessions each week that are of sufficient length, such as the length of a regularly scheduled class or period; and (ii) is embedded in the school schedule, preferably during the regular school day or tightly integrated to the regular school day and provided before or after school, or during school vacations; (E) in which content and grade specific tutors are matched with students; (F) that is aligned to local standards and curriculum; (G) that includes high-quality pre-service training and ongoing professional support; (H) that is facilitated by the local consortium where local educational agencies and schools support tutors through direct supervision and feedback with additional capacity provided by the education preparation program faculty or staff; and (I) where tutors are adequately compensated for their work. (6) Local consortium The term local consortium (A) The consortium shall include the following entities, one or both of which shall serve as the lead entity of the consortium: (i) A local educational agency, an individual school, or an educational service agency. (ii) An educator preparation program. (B) The consortium may include a community partner, such as— (i) a community-based organization; (ii) a child and youth serving organization or agency; (iii) an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) (iv) a foundation; (v) an educator organization; (vi) an organization representing education professionals; (vii) a local government, including a government agency serving children and youth, such as a child welfare and juvenile justice agency; (viii) an organization representing students; or (ix) an organization representing parents. (7) Local educational agency The term local educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (8) Mentor The term mentor (9) Secretary The term Secretary (10) Tutor The term tutor (A) a postsecondary student who is enrolled in an educator preparation program; (B) a recent graduate of an educator preparation program; (C) an individual serving as an education paraprofessional or teaching aide; or (D) a fully certified and licensed educator (such as a recently retired educator, an educator experiencing a gap in employment due to COVID-induced budget cuts, or an educator providing tutoring before or after school, or during the summer). (b) Demonstration competitive grant program The Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to local consortia to enable the local consortia to carry out high-quality tutoring, especially at hard-to-staff schools or high-need schools. (c) Application A local consortium that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require, including the following: (1) A description of the local consortium, including which public or nonprofit entity participating in the local consortium shall serve as the fiscal agent for the local consortium. (2) A description of the strategy for recruitment, careful selection, and matching of tutors with hard-to-staff schools and high-need schools. (3) A description of the pre-service training and ongoing professional support for tutors. (4) A list of hard-to-staff schools and high-need schools, and the grades that will be supported in each school, identified by the local consortium to receive comprehensive, coordinated continuum of services and support. (5) A description of how the high-quality tutoring program plans to accelerate student learning. (6) A description of how the local consortium will ensure that tutoring does not result in the tracking or negative labeling of students, or remediation. (7) A description of the duration of tutoring, including the duration of sessions, the number of days a week tutoring will occur, and the length in weeks the tutoring will occur. (8) An assurance that the local consortium will align tutoring to the local curriculum and standards of the local educational agency and school and will be designed to support student success in the classroom. (9) A description of materials and supports and how they are aligned with the local curriculum and standards of the local educational agency and school. (10) A description of how the high-quality tutoring program will build school capacity in the schools in which the tutors will serve. (11) An assurance that the local consortium will leverage tutors to supplement, not supplant existing staff. (12) A description of how tutors will be adequately compensated. (13) An assurance that the local consortium will use funds to supplement and not supplant funds otherwise available to carry out high-quality tutoring and will not use any funds to replace teaching positions with tutoring positions. (14) A description of how the tutoring program will incorporate research-based social-emotional learning practices, trauma-informed learning practices, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices. (d) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to local consortia that plan to support high-need schools in building student learning capacity by using tutors who are postsecondary students who are enrolled in educator preparation programs. (e) Use of funds A local consortium that receives a grant under this section may use the grant funds for the following: (1) Matching, training, and placing tutors with schools to deliver high-quality tutoring. (2) Supporting tutors to work with small groups of students attending high-need schools wherein tutors are providing supervision and instruction, and time for collaboration with mentors. (3) Matching tutors with mentors. (4) Providing stipends to tutors and mentors. (5) Purchasing instructional materials and connectivity resources, including internet access and accessible devices. (6) Providing transportation for students attending the tutoring program. (7) Providing meals and snacks for students attending the tutoring program. (8) Providing facilities for conducting the tutoring program. (f) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $500,000,000. (2) Allocation From the amounts appropriated to carry out this section— (A) not less than 85 percent shall be used for directly supporting students, including providing stipends to tutors and mentors, providing transportation, meals, and snacks, and purchasing instructional materials and connectivity resources for students; and (B) not more than 15 percent shall be used for other uses in carrying out this section. 3. Coordination with the Corporation for National and Community Service (a) Interagency agreement The Secretary of Education shall enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service under section 121(b) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12571(b) 42 U.S.C. 12511 (b) Special rule Notwithstanding section 148 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12604 4. Reducing the economic burden on aspiring teachers Section 420N(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070g–2(b)(1) (1) the applicant will— (A) serve as a full-time teacher (or, during any of academic years 2020–2021, 2021–2022, or 2022–2023, serve as a full-time tutor in high-quality tutoring or a full-time instructor in small group instruction) for a total of not less than 4 academic years within 8 years after completing the course of study for which the applicant received a TEACH Grant under this subpart; (B) teach in a school described in section 465(a)(2)(A), except if serving as a tutor or instructor as described in subparagraph (A); (C) teach, except if serving as a tutor or instructor as described in subparagraph (A), in any of the following fields— (i) mathematics; (ii) science; (iii) a foreign language; (iv) bilingual education; (v) special education; (vi) as a reading specialist; or (vii) another field documented as high-need by the Federal Government, State government, or local educational agency, and approved by the Secretary; and (D) submit evidence of such employment in the form of a certification by the chief administrative officer of the school upon completion of each year of such service. .

Summary: Partnering Aspiring Teachers with High-need Schools to Tutor Act of 2021 or the PATHS to Tutor Act of 2021 This bill expands access to tutoring in hard-to-staff and high-need schools by establishing a grant program and providing certain incentives to teachers. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to local consortia to carry out 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. Further, ED must enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service to include tutor positions as approved national service positions. Finally, the bill allows tutoring to count toward service requirements for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grant program.