Opinion: Cutting Federal Funding for High-Impact Tutoring Will Have a Significant Impact on Students

With federal COVID relief funding for schools ending last year, education officials feared that essential tutoring programs, critical for helping students recover academically, might vanish. Encouragingly, recent studies indicate that many schools are working diligently to maintain these programs, recognized as one of public educations most effective strategies for addressing pandemic-related learning loss.

However, the upcoming administration budget and Republican-led House funding proposals threaten to slash federal resources that schools rely on to sustain tutoring. These concerns are intensified by efforts to downsize key Department of Education offices and reassign them within the federal government.

Both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders have expressed worry about the slow pace of post-pandemic student achievement recovery, frequently highlighting tutoring as a research-backed solution. A new national survey by RAND and the Partnership for Student Success shows that in 2024-25, 93% of schools offering tutoring served the same or a higher number of students compared to the previous year.

Despite this, instead of expanding Department of Education programs that fund tutoring, the administration and its congressional allies are considering eliminating or reducing these initiatives.

Key Federal Programs at Risk

Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): This largest federal K-12 funding source provides $18.4 billion to schools serving high-poverty communities and low-income families. It is also the most flexible funding source for tutoring programs. A House appropriations bill proposes cutting it by 26%, or $4.7 billion.

Title II of ESEA: Supports teacher training and stipends for additional tutoring responsibilities. Proposed budgets suggest eliminating it entirely, a $2.2 billion reduction.

Title III of ESEA: Provides $890 million for tutoring support and training for English learners, also targeted for elimination.

Title IV, Parts A and B: Funds after-school and supplemental tutoring programs. The administrations budget would remove this $2.7 billion program, along with $220 million from the Rural Education Achievement Program.

Higher Education Programs: Federal Work Study can cover wages for student tutors in reading and math, but the proposed budget cuts would reduce this funding by $980 million (nearly 80%), with the House proposing a $450 million reduction.

AmeriCorps: Many tutoring programs rely on AmeriCorps, which supports national service. Budget proposals would cut AmeriCorps funding by over $1 billion (91%) under the administration and $619 million under the House plan, resulting in staffing losses and reduced student support.

Administrative Actions Compounding the Threat

Funding challenges are further worsened by administrative changes. The Office of English Language Acquisition, which oversees Title III, was eliminated. During the recent government shutdown, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education faced near-total staff removal. Plans to transfer program administration to the Department of Labor have caused confusion and uncertainty among staff and school districts.

Rather than enhancing federal support to sustain high-quality tutoring, the administration and House Republican proposals aim to shrink government size, undermining state and local efforts. Without congressional intervention to protect these programs and the staff managing them, students could face serious setbacks in learning recovery.

The Urgent Need to Support Tutoring

High-impact tutoring remains a proven solution for improving student achievement, particularly in the post-pandemic era. Ensuring continued federal support and stable administration of these programs is essential for helping schools deliver meaningful academic recovery to students nationwide.

Author: Sophia Brooks