Literacy and Math Tutoring

The Louisiana Department of Education is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Steve Carter Tutoring Initiative, a statewide program targeting Kindergarten through 12th-grade public school students below reading and mathematics proficiency in East Baton Rouge Parish and Baton Rouge City. The procurement seeks high-quality tutoring providers who can deliver after-school tutoring services either in-person or virtually, with sessions limited to no more than four students. Tutoring providers must complete foundational literacy or math training and align instruction with the science of reading and accelerated learning approaches. Qualified tutors must hold a teaching certificate, be a paraprofessional, or be pursuing a postsecondary degree, and complete department-approved reading or numeracy training specific to their subject area. The RFA has two application windows: October 6 to December 5, 2025, and February 9 to April 10, 2026, with applicants evaluated on criteria including education goal achievement, commitment to diverse learners, tutoring quality, stakeholder engagement, and cost-effectiveness. Pricing is capped at $60 per hour for one-to-one sessions and $40 per hour for group sessions, with providers required to establish cancellation and no-show policies.

The initiative does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, but emphasizes supporting families with varying literacy levels and language backgrounds. Approved tutoring providers will be listed in the Steve Carter Tutoring Portal, where families can select services and providers can upload invoices for reimbursement, with payment potentially taking up to 60 days and requiring family service verification. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the program suggests significant investment in addressing unfinished learning through personalized tutoring services. The procurement aims to create a comprehensive network of tutoring providers who can support student academic improvement across Louisiana, with a focus on building strong educational relationships and ensuring instructional coherence with classroom learning. Providers will need to demonstrate their capacity to deliver high-quality, targeted academic support that meets the specific needs of students struggling in literacy and mathematics.