3.2 Funding and Budgeting

Securing funding for a high-impact tutoring initiative can feel like solving an intricate puzzle. Accurately estimating costs will create a foundation for financial stability within the school. Section 3.2 offers guidance in program costs, funding sources, and innovative long-term strategies to finance this crucial driver of student success.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

To establish a well-defined program and before identifying program costs, ensure you have completed the following tasks:

PROGRAM COSTS
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Project staffing and operational expenses. The Conducting Cost Analysis from Accelerate can assist with estimates.
Toolkit: Conducting Cost Analysis of Tutoring Interventions - Accelerate
  • Develop a comprehensive budget that estimates the drivers of cost. Include estimates of program scale, tutoring dosage, student-tutor ratios, the amount of time, costs of tutors/coaches, and cost of materials.
Template: Budget Planning for District Tutoring Programs (Excel Sheet Available)
  • Consider alternatives to reduce cost and maximize staff efficiency (e.g., embedding tutoring into the school day to utilize existing staff or engaging with a Higher Education Institution with access to work-study funds).

Reading: Staffing Cost Estimates Based Program Scale

Reading: Cost-Reduction Strategies and Maximizing Staff Efficiency

Reading: Leveraging the Federal Work-Study Program for P-12 Tutoring

FUNDING SOURCES
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Identify potential funding sources, including state programs, federal programs, and philanthropic opportunities.

Template: Identifying Potential Funding Sources for Tutoring Programs (Word Document Available)

Reading: Funding for High-Impact Tutoring NSSA Brief

Reading: Beyond Recovery: Funding High-Impact Tutoring for the Long Term

  • Consider reallocating existing funds to tutoring, particularly funds for initiatives that could be replaced by tutoring.
 
  • Evaluate state and federal policies for access to tutoring program funds available through state and federal budget allocations.

Reading: 2024-25 Snapshot of State Tutoring Policies

Reading: Example State Policies

  • Identify opportunities for blending and braiding funds to utilize multiple funding streams for your program.
Video: Blending and Braiding: Using Different Funding Streams to Meet the Needs of the Whole Child
  • Meet the federal minimums for conditional funding and take advantage of opportunities to match federal funds with state funds to sustain high-impact tutoring. Coordinate resources across Title I, Title II, and IDEA programs.
 
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Track the effectiveness of the program to continue motivating stakeholders to allocate resources toward high-impact tutoring. Outcomes-based contracting can help with this tracking if working with a provider.

Reading: Outcomes-Based Contracting for Tutoring: Insights and Recommendations

Website: Outcomes-Based Contracting District Toolkit

  • Build a short-term and long-term plan for utilizing local, state, or national opportunities for funding. Assign a person responsible for routine monitoring of funding opportunities and adjustment of the financial plan.
 
PLANNING FOR THE LONG TERM
  • Incorporate ongoing program evaluation to ensure future resource allocations are informed and strategic.
  • Use the program’s impact data to encourage sustained funding.
  • Continue to identify philanthropic funders with motivations that match high-impact tutoring.
Tutoring Quality Standards and Self-Assessment Indicators
Instruction
Dosage		The program ensures each student with at least three tutoring sessions per week, with ample time (usually a minimum of 30 minutes per session) for a minimum of 10 weeks. Younger students may benefit from shorter but more frequent sessions (i.e., 5-10 minute bursts of instruction, multiple times a week).
3g.1 | Dosage amounts that are determined through systematic tracking, management, and analysis of student-level tutoring data
3g.2 | Sessions that occur at least three times per week, with ample time (usually a minimum of 30 minutes per session) for a minimum of 10 weeks. Younger students may benefit from shorter, more frequent sessions (i.e., 5–10 minute bursts of instruction multiple times per week)
3g.3 | Clear start and stop points of program (i.e., 10 weeks, 20 weeks) aligned with program measures and performance expectations (connects to data section)
Instruction
Ratio		The ratio of students to tutor in the program is low and does not exceed 4:1.
3h.1 | Staffing plan with student-tutor ratio that does not exceed 4:1
3h.2 | Staffing plan with student-tutor ratio levels aligned with the skills of tutors