Supplemental Educational Services Mission

Sep 2, 2005 11:19 AM

What does Supplemental Educational Services mean for students and their parents?

Your child may be eligible for free tutoring and other supplemental academic enrichment services.   These additional services are provided for in the No Child Left Behind federal education law.

What are Supplemental Educational Services ?

The term “supplemental educational services” refers to extra help in academic subjects such as reading, language arts and mathematics provided free of charge to eligible children. These services are provided either after school, before school or on weekends.

How will I know if my child is eligible?

The Department of Education and your school district are required to notify you if your child is eligible for Supplemental Educational Services. Your child, in general, is eligible if he or she receives free or reduced lunch and attends a school that has not made adequate yearly progress (AYP) for three consecutive years. The These schools are designated as a School in Need of Improvement.

What does it mean when a school is “in need of improvement?”

The timeline for being designated a School in Need of Improvement can be a bit confusing. To better understand SINI lets take it one step at a time. Every Title I school receives additional money from the federal government to provide extra academic services for its students. In return, the federal government requires that these schools make certain progress each year. They are given a specific goal to achieve called the Adequate Yearly Progress. The school must reach these goals through yearly state assessments. If they do not reach their target, then the State Education Department places them in a category known as a School in Need of Improvement.   Here, in general, is how the process works:

Year 1

The state reports that PS XXX has not made “adequate yearly progress.”

Year 2

The state reports that PS XXX has still not made AYP.

The state places PSXXX in “needs improvement” status

Year 3

The state reports that PSXXX has not made AYP again.

The school stays in “needs improvement” status.

The school also becomes eligible to receive Supplemental Educational Services.

Parents are also given the opportunity to transfer their child to a better performing school. This is known as public school choice.

Who can be an approved provider of Supplemental Educational Services?

Each state develops a list of potential SES providers. All providers must be approved by the New York State Department of Education. The providers can be any of the following:

• For Profit
• Non-profit organizations
• Local Community programs
• Colleges or universities
• National organiztions
• Faith-based groups
• Private and charter schools
• Public schools and districts that have not been identified as in need of improvement.

You can find out about SES providers by visiting www.nysed.gov as well as www.nycenet.edu   for additional information about providers and SES in general.

Please contact your local school, Region/district or your parent coordinator for more information.

If eligible, what kind of information will a child receive from the Department of Education?

The Department of Education will inform you if your child qualifies for SES and will send you a list of providers in your area. Their will be information about each provider describing their services and their program. The information should inform you of the following:

• Which subjects area and which grade levels the provider is serving
• Whether the provider has a track record of helping raise student achievement
• The qualifications of the staff and who will tutor the students
• Where and when the services will be provided
• Whether the provider can service students with disabilities as well as English language learners

 Look for information about providers and the sign-up process in:

• Letters from the district or school
• School newsletters
• Newspaper ads
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Parent organization meetings

Many Regions/districts and schools may hold “open houses” or provider “fairs” for parents to meet with the

various providers and learn about their services and programs.   When you meet a prospective provider you should bring along information about your child to help the provider determine their academic needs. Items such as your child's report card, the Grow report and any other useful assessments you may have.

If eligible, will my child be guaranteed SES services?

No. After all applications are processed, the Department of Education will determine if it has sufficient funds to pay for all eligible students. If there are not enough funds, then students are prioritized by their English Language Arts (ELA) test scores and grade level. Priority is given to eligible students who are performing at the lowest levels.