(This is a press release.)
On Friday Governor Murphy signed the State’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget into law. Included in the budget is a $1 million investment to fund the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, an impactful statewide program providing high-dosage tutoring. The program was first launched during the pandemic and initially funded by the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund and the Overdeck Family Foundation. This $1 million state investment into the New Jersey Tutoring Corps was championed by Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal and JerseyCAN.
The following is a statement from JerseyCAN Senior Advisor, Janellen Duffy:
“High-dosage tutoring is one of the most powerful ways to address the significant learning loss that has impacted students across the state due to the pandemic. It is a key intervention that addresses academic inequities that were exacerbated by the pandemic for many NJ students.
“This year’s budget contains an impactful investment in the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, a program JerseyCAN has long championed and one of the most effective education initiatives launched in New Jersey since the pandemic. This State funding will match any federal funds that local districts spend toward high-dosage tutoring.
“This targeted investment will incentivize schools to leverage their federal funds on tutoring, resulting in improved academic outcomes for the children in New Jersey who need it the most. We want to thank Governor Murphy and specifically Senator Vin Gopal, who has recently become the Senate Education Committee Chair. Senator Gopal has championed tutoring as an evidence-based solution to begin to address students’ academic needs, and his leadership on this issue demonstrates his commitment to addressing the vast pandemic-driven learning gaps students are facing.
“While the work continues and future efforts are needed to expand high quality, high-dosage tutoring to more students across the state, this investment was an important first step – and shows what can be accomplished when leaders prioritize evidence-based solutions for students.”