HARRISBURG – Tens of thousands of students in 175 academically challenged school districts and career and technical centers will benefit from tutoring programs in 2008-09, paid for with investments through the state’s Educational Assistance Program.

Monroe County:

• East Stroudsburg Area SD     $663,863
• Pleasant Valley SD                 $227,655
• Pocono Mountain SD             $967,980
• Stroudsburg Area SD             $171,063

Wayne County:

• Western Wayne SD                $80,481

“Targeted tutoring is one of the most strategic, cost-effective ways to help those struggling students and schools that need it most,” Governor Edward Rendell said. “Despite the notable academic gains we are making in Pennsylvania, we still have many students who lack the reading and math skills they need to reach proficiency and graduate with the skills they need for college or the work force.”

The 2008-09 education budget includes $65.1 million for the tutoring services targeted to eligible students enrolled in seventh through twelfth grades in 163 school districts and 12 career and technical schools. In all, the program will result this year in increased instructional time for more than 172,000 students who are not testing at grade level in math or reading on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.