Congresswoman Susie Lee announces tutoring bill to help students

Lee’s bill would provide funding for tutoring services, place aspiring educators into tutoring roles, and qualify those educators for college loan forgiveness.

As readers across the state embarked on Nevada Reading Week, Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Las Vegas) marked the occasion by announcing bipartisan tutoring legislation during a visit to Elaine Wynn Elementary School Monday. 

After reading “Why Oh Why Are Deserts Dry?” to first and second graders at the school, Lee urged Congress to support the Partnering Aspiring Teachers with High-Need Schools (PATHS) to Tutor Act—a bill that would expand tutoring access to K-12 students.

The bill would establish a $500 million competitive grant program for K-12 schools, community organizations, and other local organizations to provide tutoring services. It would also place aspiring educators into tutoring roles in underserved schools and qualify those educators for college loan forgiveness through the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

“The PATHS to Tutor Act is a win-win for education—supporting our students and strengthening opportunities for future teachers,” Lee told reporters. 

If passed, Lee hopes the PATHS Act would be particularly influential in Nevada, which averages just 43 teachers for every 1,000 students—the fewest teachers per student in the country.

Danica Hayes, Dean of the College of Education at UNLV, expressed her support for the legislation in a statement. 

“One of Nevada’s biggest challenges, and one of our greatest innovation opportunities, is education,” she said. “I am encouraged by the goals of the PATHS to Tutor Act, which can be a two-pronged strategy for strengthening the teacher workforce and promoting educational equity: a win-win for education.”

The tutoring initiative comes at a critical time for Clark County School District (CCSD), where 1,300 teaching positions remain open amid turmoil spurred by last year’s teacher strike. 

CCSD Superintendent Jesus Jara also resigned last month, leaving the school board in need of a new leader as teachers still await pay raises promised by Senate Bill 231.

CCSD has endorsed the PATHS the Tutor Act.  

The legislation, co-sponsored by Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04), is also endorsed by Communities In Schools of Nevada, Deans for Impact, Teach For America, InnovateEDU, Saga Education and National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.