News

March 08, 2006 —Some tutoring companies offered struggling schools cash incentives to enroll more students in their services, according to a city investigation.

Tutoring is big business. Providers can get up to $2,000 per student for working with schools that receive federal money under the No Child Left Behind Law.

The Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools now says some tutoring companies offered principals thousands of dollars, televisions for their schools, and even a trip to Puerto Rico as incentives to use their services. The gifts weren't illegal but they did violate ethics policies.

One company singled out in the report, Platform Learning, serves 13,000 students. A spokesman says it's addressing the problems in the report. The Education Department says it's also making the rules more clear in future contracts with the tutoring companies.