For Immediate Release: May 1, 2023
Media Contact: Charles B. Pyle
RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Education is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through Governor Glenn Youngkin’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. Youngkin created the program to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning.
The $30 million program provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in English, mathematics, science and history, as well as foreign languages required to meet diploma requirements. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Grants may also be used for support services such as speech language pathology and reading interventions.
“We are excited to open the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants application window just as school divisions are providing parents with Student Assessment Summary Reports detailing their students’ academic strengths and the areas they need support to be on track with their peers,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons said. “It is essential that parents have both the information and the support that the report and the grants provide. I encourage every parent to take advantage of free tutoring to support their child.”
Available services include in-person, online and hybrid tutoring provided one-on-one and in small group or large-group settings. Parents of students with disabilities may also use up to $750 of their awards for the purchase of assistive technologies specified in their child’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan.
The grant program is open to parents of any public, private, parochial or home-school student in grades K-12 residing in Virginia. The first step in the process is to visit VDOE’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page and create an application account for either a $1,500 or $3,000 grant.
Once parents are notified that their application has been accepted and approved, they will be able to log into the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants “digital wallet” to select from a variety of vetted, pre-approved tutors.
All grant payments will be issued directly by VDOE to selected tutors and service providers with no out-of-pocket expenses to families. At least $750 of each grant must be spent by August 15; otherwise, the remaining funds will be reallocated to other applicants.
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