Tutors in high demand as students grapple with pandemic learning loss

by The National Desk

Mon, November 28th 2022, 12:46 PM UTC

FILE — Lear Preston, 4, who attends Scott Joplin Elementary School, participates in her virtual classes as her mother, Brittany Preston, background, assists at their residence in Chicago's South Side, Feb. 10, 2021. Schools across America are racing to make up for lost classroom time, budgeting billions of dollars for tutoring, summer camps and longer school days. But figuring out which students need help has become its own challenge after the pandemic left holes in some students' learning records. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File)

FILE — Students arrive for the first day of in-person classes at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood, Oct. 1, 2020, in New York. Schools across America are racing to make up for lost classroom time, budgeting billions of dollars for tutoring, summer camps and longer school days. But figuring out which students need help has become its own challenge after the pandemic left holes in some students' learning records. New York City is adding three rounds of testing this year, hoping to pinpoint which students are behind and where. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Learning loss caused by the pandemic leading to an increased need for tutors. (KTUL)

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FILE — Lear Preston, 4, who attends Scott Joplin Elementary School, participates in her virtual classes as her mother, Brittany Preston, background, assists at their residence in Chicago's South Side, Feb. 10, 2021. Schools across America are racing to make up for lost classroom time, budgeting billions of dollars for tutoring, summer camps and longer school days. But figuring out which students need help has become its own challenge after the pandemic left holes in some students' learning records. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File)

WASHINGTON (TND) — Record low test scores show our nation’s students are falling behind. Now, some parents are turning to tutors to help get their children back on track.

Getting our students up to speed isn’t cheap, according to tutors.com, on average, a private tutor costs anywhere between $25 and $80 per hour. Even at a time of high inflation, parents and educators say it's worth every penny.

“She helps me with the stuff that I don't really understand in school,” 10-year-old fifth-grader, Seni Famodu said.

The Famodu family is shifting priorities, putting tutoring at the top of the list.

“When fall came around, it wasn't even about if we can afford it or not,” mom Lola Famodu told The National Desk. “It was more like how can we make this work?”

With remote learning and a lack of one-on-one instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lola says her son needs the extra help.

“Honestly, I'm a little bit worried about middle school. So, we're just trying to prepare him,” she said.

It’s not just their family. Data from Grandview Research shows the global online tutoring services market size was estimated at around $6.6 billion in 2021 and it’s projected to grow to more than $23 billion by 2030.

Michael Sison founded his small, family-owned business Magellan Tutoring ten years ago. He says that just within the last two years, parents have been calling him nonstop for help.

“Before the pandemic, tutoring was more of a luxury but now it's becoming a necessity,” Sison said.

He says the business has grown from 60 families in 2020 to over 250 this year. It makes sense when you look at the Nation’s Report Card that shows declines in reading and the largest ever recorded declines in math.

“To have that student who is missing the fundamentals, at least improve or at least get better at that and gain confidence then, you know, I think our service is a benefit to the community,” Sison said.

Lola believes this pinch on her budget for tutoring will greatly help her son.

“At least to bring him back up to speed,” she said.

“Now I can do like any problem,” said Seni.

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The Nation’s Report Card also showed not a single state saw a notable improvement in average test scores.

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