Efforts to make educational improvements in our country, like No Child Left Behind, have created opportunities to help any student who is struggling get extra help outside of classes.
If your K-12 child is having trouble, there is a chance the government will reimburse you for tutoring with tutoring grants. Tutoring is a great way to catch up and get ahead in school, and with financial aid opportunities, you may be able to get tutoring services for free.
It's important to remember that tutoring grants and scholarships can come from different places, and so the rules vary greatly. Some may be offered by your state's Department of Education, your local school board or non-profit foundations funded by donations from private individuals.
There are also federal funds like FAFSA, which are for continuing higher education like community college or a university or graduate school. Talk to your child's teacher or a school administrator to find out what grants your child may be eligible for.
Because tutoring grants come from many different sources, the standards for qualifying and applying for them differ as well.
However, one form of assessment data that many grants rely on is performance on standardized tests. If your child fails or gets a low score on a standardized test, there is a good chance he or she qualifies for a grant. Another commonality is that many grants cover only math or reading tutoring, although some states offer other choices. Also, your choice of tutor may be limited to those on a pre-approved list.
Grants also tend not to give up front payments, but rather, they reimburse you after you have completed the tutoring. It's a good idea to take careful note of how much the grant will reimburse because if you exceed that amount, you will have to pay out of your own pocket.
Once you find a grant, you will have to fill out an application. Be sure to submit all the necessary paperwork before the admissions deadlines. Give yourself plenty of time to gather any recommendations, teacher signatures or copies of test scores before the deadline, because often there is no leniency.
Tutoring grants come in many forms, those only for early child tutoring, or for minorities like Hispanic or Native American students, grants for women, and grants for teachers to improve their classrooms. Finding tutoring grants for you or your child can mean a big difference in both classroom performance and attitudes towards school. Doing the research will more than payoff in the end, as you see your child improve and enjoy school more.
