{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://susielee.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-expand-tutoring-access", "Congresswoman Lee Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Tutoring Access for Underserved Students", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NV", "Susie Lee", "L000590", "susielee.house.gov", "susielee", "https://susielee.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) and Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) introduced the bipartisan Partnering Aspiring Teachers with High-Need Schools (PATHS) to Tutor Act, which would expand access to one-on-one and small group tutoring for students in underserved communities. The legislation leverages the existing workforce pool and strengthens the pipeline for future teachers by placing aspiring teachers in these tutoring roles.\n\n\u201cWe need to make it easier, not harder, for qualified future teachers to start their professional careers and help more students get the targeted help they need,\u201d said Congresswoman Susie Lee. \u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act is a win-win for our education system \u2014 strengthening opportunities for future teachers and supporting all students, regardless of their needs or what zip code they live in.\u201d\n\n\u201cA good education is the key to future opportunity, and it\u2019s important the next generation can accomplish their goals,\" said Congressman David Valadao. \u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act is a bipartisan, bicameral fix that tackles both challenges at once\u2014making sure our students get the support they need, while giving future teachers real experience in the classroom to help them prepare for their career in education.\u201d\n\nNevada has the worst student-to-teacher ratio in the country, with an average of 25 students per teacher. With this shortage already straining in-classroom demands, the supply of targeted after-school resources is especially affected, emphasizing the need to support workforce development for teachers as well as fill the gap in additional tutoring needs.\n\nThe bipartisan PATHS to Tutors Act helps students and teachers by:\n\nPlacing aspiring teachers into tutoring roles, strengthening the pipeline of future teachers in the long run, while ensuring students in underserved communities receive targeted academic support in the short term.\n\nReducing the economic burden on aspiring teachers by allowing the successful completion of a tutoring placement to qualify them for loan forgiveness through national service educational awards granted by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).\n\nExpanding access to tutoring more broadly through a $500 million competitive grant program disbursed to local partnerships of educator-preparation programs, K-12 schools, and community organizations.\n\nThe full text of the legislation is available here.\n\nSenators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) are leading bipartisan companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cAcross New Jersey and the nation, far too many students in underserved communities are falling behind academically because they lack access to meaningful support,\u201d said Senator Cory Booker. \u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act expands access to high-quality one-on-one and small-group tutoring while strengthening the teacher preparation pipeline by engaging nearly 600,000 aspiring teachers nationwide. This bipartisan legislation narrows the educational opportunity gap and provides both students and future educators with the tools needed for success.\u201d\n\n\u201cSadly, far too many students in Texas do not receive the educational tools they need to succeed,\u201d said Senator John Cornyn. \u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act will expand access to small group tutoring in high-need areas while simultaneously reducing economic burdens on our teachers by allowing this tutoring to count toward national service and their TEACH grant service requirement. Texas students deserve every resource we can give them to achieve on a level playing field, and this legislation will give them just that.\u201d\n\nThe PATHS to Tutor Act is endorsed by Deans for Impact (DFI), the National Center for Teacher Residencies, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), and InnovateEDU.\n\n\u201cThe bipartisan PATHS to Tutor Act gives local leaders the tools they need to expand evidence-based tutoring that boosts student learning while preparing the next generation of teachers,\u201d said Valerie Sakimura, Executive Director, Deans for Impact (DFI). \u201cIt\u2019s a common-sense step that puts students first, supports teachers, and helps every community chart a path toward better outcomes.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act recognizes what we see every day: when aspiring teachers are given real opportunities to serve students, they discover their purpose\u2014and communities thrive,\u201d said Kathlene Campbell, CEO, National Center for Teacher Residencies. \u201cThis legislation not only delivers the high-quality tutoring our young people deserve, it helps build a well-prepared educator workforce rooted in service and commitment. It\u2019s a powerful investment in our students, our schools, and the future we want to create together.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe PATHS to Tutor Act is an evidence-based investment in both students and the teaching workforce. By connecting tutoring to educator preparation, it strengthens learning recovery and the teacher pipeline \u2014 helping every child receive the support they deserve,\u201d said Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., President and CEO, AACTE. \u201cAACTE proudly supports this effort because it elevates the essential role of teacher candidates as both learners and leaders in ensuring every child has access to high-quality, individualized instruction.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Paths to Tutors Act bipartisan introduction today by Senator Booker and Senator Cornyn, Representative Lee, and Representative Valadao is a critical investment in our students' success and in America's communities,\u201d said Erin Mote, CEO, InnovateEDU. \u201cHigh-impact tutoring does more than just accelerate academic outcomes; it builds the meaningful connections with caring adults that students need to feel seen and valued. This relational approach is one of our most effective strategies for combating chronic absenteeism and ensuring every learner has the consistent support system necessary to flourish both academically and socially.\u201d\n\nBefore coming to Congress, Lee spent two decades leading education non-profits \u2013 reducing dropout rates and making sure Nevada kids had the wrap-around services they needed to thrive.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://susielee.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-expand-tutoring-access"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5900502912700176, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}