Ohio Mandates Free Tutoring for Students Building Math Skills Without Providing Funding

Research Supports Intensive Tutoring Approach

The bill’s emphasis on high-dosage tutoring aligns with substantial research showing this approach is one of the most effective ways to help students develop math skills. A review of nearly 200 studies found that high-dosage tutoring—delivered more than three days per week or at least 50 hours over 36 weeks—produces significant gains in both math and reading. Research from the University of Chicago Education Lab found that high-dosage tutoring can move an average student from the 50th percentile to the 66th percentile, representing three to fifteen additional months of learning.

The key to effectiveness appears to be consistency and integration into the school day. Students working with tutors in small groups of three to four, meeting regularly during school hours, show the largest improvements. This aligns with what neuroscience tells us about how children build foundational math skills—through repeated, structured practice that strengthens neural pathways over time. When children receive this kind of targeted support, their brains can develop the number sense and mathematical reasoning that form the foundation for all future math learning.

Unfunded Mandate Raises Implementation Concerns

Despite the bill’s unanimous Senate passage, education leaders express serious concerns about implementation. The legislation does not provide additional funding to schools or to the Department of Education and Workforce, which must conduct audits and develop professional development courses for math teachers. Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper testified that while her organization supports the bill’s intent, the actual implementation will be “incredibly costly, in time and in dollars, at a time when there is a lot of uncertainty about school district funding.”

Ohio Education Association President Jeff Wensing acknowledged positives in the bill, including flexibility for schools to choose intervention approaches, but noted that “finding the resources to comply may be difficult.” This concern resonates with parents who have learned that even well-intentioned policies don’t always translate into meaningful support for their children. When schools lack resources, families often find themselves becoming their child’s primary advocate and instructor—a role that research on parent advocacy shows can be remarkably powerful when parents are equipped with the right tools and understanding.

What This Means for Ohio Families

The bill now awaits House committee hearings, expected in late January or February 2026. If passed, Ohio would join a growing movement to address post-pandemic learning gaps through intensive tutoring. Data shows nearly one-third of Ohio students scored at limited proficiency in math and one-fifth in English during the 2022-2023 school year—numbers that underscore the scope of the challenge.

For parents, the gap between policy promise and funded reality offers an important reminder: you don’t have to wait for school systems to catch up. Research on mathematical learning consistently shows that home-based intervention, delivered in consistent, bite-sized sessions, can be just as effective as school-based programs. Your child’s brain is remarkably capable of building new math skills when given the right kind of practice—and that practice can happen in your living room, on your timeline, with you as the guide.

Whether Ohio schools ultimately receive the funding they need remains to be seen. What’s certain is that every day of waiting is a day your child’s brain could be building stronger connections. The research is clear: consistent, targeted practice works. The question is who will provide it.