On this page:
SES for Educators
This page offers information for principals, teachers, and school staff about supplemental educational services specific to their needs and roles. It also offers tips on how to use this website.
What does SES mean for educators?
Early evidence about SES suggests that principals and teachers play a key role in the success or failure of the program. Families often see school staff as the first, and often best, source of information about their child’s performance and their option for improvement. If families have questions about eligibility for SES or about local providers, first they are likely to ask their child’s teacher or principal. Educators can help families pick the best provider for each child by learning about SES providers in their district.
How can SES help educators?
Principals and teachers face incredible demands on their time during the school day. Unfortunately, these demands often prevent them from providing the intensive individual instruction that they wish they could offer to students. The SES program offers educators an opportunity to provide children who are struggling in school with extra academic help and individual instruction. Tutoring can also provide students with a safe, nurturing environment outside of school. Ultimately, this tutoring can help children become more productive, successful students in their regular classrooms. By helping individual students improve, SES can also offer teachers and principals the support to help entire schools improve.
How can educators get involved?
Educators can connect parents with quality providers in a number of ways:
- Contacting the district or state to find out which students are eligible for SES and to obtain information about local providers.
- Asking the district for a copy of information that was sent to parents about local providers.
- Contacting local providers to learn about their tutoring services and asking for copies of promotional and informational materials.
- Making information about SES providers readily available in school to share with parents.
Once a family chooses a provider for their child, educators can facilitate a meeting with the provider, the family, and district to set achievement goals for the child. Typically, the district or the provider will set up this meeting.
While a student is receiving SES, the provider is required to monitor the student’s progress toward these goals and provide families with feedback. Educators can request updates about the student’s progress, communicate with the provider about coursework, and give feedback about the student’s progress in school.
Can classroom educators become SES providers?
Yes. Public schools and districts that have not been identified as in need of improvement under Title I can become SES providers. Educators can work as tutors or program managers for existing SES providers. An individual educator or a group of educators can also create its own SES programs. For example, teachers from a high-achieving school could adapt their successful classroom approach into an SES program. Educators or groups of educators who want to become SES providers must organize as a legally recognized non-profit or for-profit entity and be approved by the state as a provider.
How can educators use this website?
This site has a number of resources for educators. We recommend visiting these pages:
- SES: The Basics page for a general explanation of SES, a description of how it works, and an overview of roles and responsibilities for SES.
- SES by State page for state profiles on SES, including provider application due dates, links to each state’s provider application, and links to lists of currently approved providers. You can also find out which schools are required to provide SES and obtain contact information for each state education official in charge of SES.
- Resources page for links to research, tools, and other organizations working on SES.