The Case for Supplemental Education

Abstract

All schools seek to provide the best education possible for all students. However, many schools lack the specialization necessary to instruct all types of students. Supplemental education, in the form of afterschool tutoring, nonprofit reading programs, and for-profit supplemental education companies, can help meet the needs of students who are not fully served by their classrooms. This paper argues for the use of supplemental education programs as a valid addendum to standard schooling. The author identifies a number of different sources of supplemental education and outlines their specific focuses and strengths. Government and nonprofit tutoring programs provide primarily remedial services aimed at improving literacy. The author argues that for-profit companies are argued to provide the most comprehensive supplemental education programs because they have been tailored to best reflect what researchers call the best methods of instruction. The growth of online tutoring is also providing students with a new means to grow their knowledge base, and can address the needs of students in rural or low-income areas. The biggest inhibitor to the success of students in need of supplemental education services is identified as accessibility, with the high cost of private tutoring and the limited openings of government and nonprofit programs being especially problematic.