Department of Education launches second year of statewide Literacy Tutoring Grant Program
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Education is pleased to launch the second year of the Literacy Tutoring Grant Program.
Through the program, 38,535 students in Grades K-3 are eligible to receive up to $500 in literacy tutoring services.
The LEARNS Act created the program to provide additional assistance to students who have been identified as needing additional supports. ADE has allocated $8.5 million for the program this year.
“I’m a mom to three, so I know every kid learns differently,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. “Literacy coaches meet students where they are to ensure every kid is being set up for success. This program had a massive impact in its first year, and I know that year two will help even more Arkansas students learn to read.”
“The earlier that struggling readers can access additional services needed to help them read on grade level, the better, and LEARNS provides that opportunity with the Literacy Tutoring Grant program,” ADE Secretary Jacob Oliva said. “We encourage families to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain additional supports for their child and to reach out to their local school for additional in-school assistance that is available.”
Students are eligible if they are at risk of reading difficul-
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ties, did not score well on state assessments or were retained in third grade. Districts will notify parents of eligibility.
To ensure students receive high-quality tutoring services, ADE reviewed applications from tutoring providers. An approved list of providers is available at https://dese.link/literacy-tutoring- vendors. Parents of eligible children will select a vendor from the list, with ADE issuing payment directly to the provider.
The Literacy Tutoring Grant Program is one of several literacy strategies ADE is implementing to improve student learning. Efforts include the following:
• Placement of approximately 120 literacy coaches in schools with a letter grade of “D” and “F” that serve students in grades K-3.
• Ensuring teachers are using high-quality instructional materials aligned to the Science of Reading.
• The development of a universal high-quality literacy screener for students in grades K-3.
• Empowering families with individualized reading plans and data about their child’s literacy journey.
• Ensuring educator preparation programs prepare educators to teach reading aligned with the Science of Reading standards.
• To learn more about the tutoring program, as well as other tutoring options, visit https://dese.link/tutoring.
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Arrest made in January death at rest area
OZARK — An Arkansas State Police (ASP) investigation resulted in the arrest of an Atlanta man in Michigan in connection with the January death of a man found deceased at the Interstate 40 rest area near Ozark, Arkansas.
Darius Simmons, 30, was taken into custody by U.S.
Marshals in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. He was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, theft of property and failure to provide information of an accident involving Injury in the death of German Portillo-Batres, 59, of Richmond, Texas. Portillo-Batres was discovered lying on the shoulder of the rest stop access road by a motorist on Jan. 4. The Ozark Police Department requested ASP’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigate. Felony arrest warrants were issued for Simmons based on information gathered by Special Agents. Extradition to Arkansas is pending.
ASP CID investigates fatal shooting in Murfreesboro On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) requested the ASP Criminal Investigation Division (CID) to investigate a fatal shooting that occurred outside a home on Highway 27 North in Murfreesboro.
PCSO responded to a call from a woman who said her husband and a neighbor were arguing. When officers arrived, they found Mark Corsin, 64, suffering from a gunshot wound. The Pike County Coroner pronounced Corsin dead at the scene.
The deceased will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab to determine the manner and cause of death.
The investigation is ongoing.
