PA HB1597

School entities may establish after-school or summer peer tutoring programs starting in the 2026-2027 school year, employing trained high school students (grades 9-12) as "teen leaders" to provide one-to-one phonics-based literacy tutoring to kindergarten through grade 2 students.

Each 90-minute tutoring session must include 45 minutes of individual tutoring in foundational reading skills and 45 minutes of group reading enrichment or homework help, conducted 3-4 days per week for 45 total sessions.

The Department of Education must develop program guidance, including a model curriculum and training modules, by December 31, 2025.

Participating schools must submit annual reports by September 1 (beginning 2027) detailing students served, teen leaders trained, pre- and post-assessment reading data, partnerships, and funding utilized.

Programs may be funded through federal, state, or private sources, with state funds prioritized for schools with high percentages of K-2 students not meeting grade-level reading benchmarks.