NPS Awarded $278,000 Grant Through CT High-Dosage Tutoring Program

Norwalk Public Schools received a $278,200 competitive grant through the Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring Program awarded by the Connecticut State Department of Education to enhance the accelerated learning interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker announced the release of $11.5 million to 46 school districts on Oct. 19 that will boost high-dosage tutoring. The funding intends to empower students with enhanced educational opportunities and address the education disparities that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Norwalk Public Schools has made it a priority in the wake of the pandemic to provide interventions that help accelerate the learning for our scholars. We have added improvement teachers to provide additional supports in reading and math and implemented Scientific Research-Based Interventions to help identify our scholars most in need. This funding will allow us to continue providing these supports to scholars still in need of academic recovery,” said Dr. Alexandra Estrella, Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools.

The Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring Program launched in March 2023, initially releasing $10 million from the Elementary Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding and targeting students in grades 6-9 with a primary focus on enhancing mathematics proficiency. Due to high interest from school districts, the state department of education increased its commitment to $11.5 million.

“The need for robust accelerated learning interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has never been greater, and by dedicating this funding to create an intensive tutoring program, we can provide school districts with greater support to identify students who are struggling and connect them with the resources they need to succeed,” Governor Lamont said in a press release.

“We were truly inspired by the energy, vision, and thoughtfulness displayed in so many of these applications,” Commissioner Russell-Tucker said in a press release. “It is evident that district and school leaders are enthusiastic and deeply committed to implementing high-dosage tutoring programs, which research has found time and time again to have a significant, positive impact on accelerating academic recovery for students.”

The CSDE reported data revealed improvements in mathematics proficiency across nearly all grades and student groups over the past year, but the state is still striving to exceed pre-pandemic performance levels. Research by EdResearch for Action indicates that in-person, in-school tutoring is the most effective means of addressing learning gaps.