Bush, Paige Visit Sylvan Education Solutions Tutoring Program in Nashville; Visit Highlights 'No Child Left Behind' Supplemental Tutoring 9/8/2003
From: Jay Diskey, 202-262-8220, diskeypr@aol.com, or Alice Cherry, 410-843-6374, alice.cherry@educate.com, both for Sylvan Education Solutions NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 8 -- President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today highlighted the important role supplemental tutoring is playing in today's public schools by visiting a Sylvan Education Solutions tutoring program at Kirkpatrick Elementary School in Nashville. "We are thrilled that President Bush and Secretary Paige were able to visit and see firsthand how supplemental tutoring can help children become more confident and successful learners," said Jeffrey H. Cohen, president of Sylvan Education Solutions. "Our supplemental tutoring under No Child Left Behind offers exciting new educational opportunities to families who otherwise have few if any options for after-school academic assistance." To date, Sylvan Education Solutions has been approved as a NCLB supplemental educational services provider in 26 states and the District of Columbia, more than any other provider, according to the Education Quality Institute. Under NCLB, parents of eligible students who attend schools in their second year of "school improvement" can select a state-approved, after-school tutoring program of their choice. To be eligible for this program, a student must attend a participating public school and meet certain income requirements, typically designated by participation in a free or reduced price lunch program. "We are seeing a rapid increase in demand for our programs across a growing list of participating school districts," said Cohen. "This fall we expect to operate more than 200 centers in 50 school districts across the country." Even before the implementation of NCLB, Sylvan Education Solutions had become the nation's leading provider of supplemental education services in schools. Sylvan Education Solutions brings to schools and families more than 15 years of experience boosting student achievement. Sylvan's No Child Left Behind tutoring programs are an extension of the company's proven core programs, providing instructional and support services to schools, school districts and community organizations nationwide. All Sylvan Education Solutions instructional programs are backed by scientifically based research and utilize a personalized diagnostic-prescriptive approach to learning. At the start of every program, every student is assessed to determine his/her skill strengths and weaknesses. Then, a personalized learning plan is established, prescribing a targeted learning path to address a student's individual needs. Students are taught in small groups after-school for typically one hour, two times a week. Student achievement is further maximized by: -- Aligning curriculum to state and district education standards. -- Providing parents, teachers and administrators with regular evaluations to track achievement. -- Motivating students by rewarding effort and achievement with the SylvanRewards program. -- Involving parents and classroom teachers in their students' education. "Our diagnostic-prescriptive instructional system allows Sylvan to target educational assistance to students where they need it most," Cohen said. ------ About Sylvan Education Solutions Sylvan Education Solutions partners with schools and school districts to provide high-quality, research-based supplemental education services, including those called for through the enactment of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act. During the last school year, Sylvan Education Solutions provided services to more than 70,000 students in 900 urban schools across 150 districts. Sylvan also supports schools with specialized services and programs ranging from after-school programs to early childhood education to counseling. Sylvan Education Solutions is a sister company of Sylvan Learning Center, which operates well-known tutoring centers in more than 960 locations across North America serving more than 150,000 students annually. Both companies are part of the new company, Educate, Inc. More information on Sylvan Education Solutions can be found at http://www.sylvansolutions.com. About No Child Left Behind Signed into law in early 2002, the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to make "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) in raising the achievement of all students to the state-defined level of proficiency. Under the supplemental services provisions of NCLB, schools in their second year of school improvement (or third consecutive year of missing their AYP), must provide low-income parents with the option of accessing supplemental tutoring services for their children. The law defines supplemental services as tutoring and other research-based academic enrichment programs that supplement - but not replace - instruction provided during the school day. The services must be designed to increase the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged children and help them meet state academic achievement standards. Parents of eligible children will choose a supplemental service provider from a list of state-approved providers. The services can be offered in community sites, faith-based sites, retail sites and schools. |