A Paso Robles nonprofit working to connect low income kids with free math tutoring is hoping to expand the number of students they serve.
Only 29% of students in the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District meet state math standards, according to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.
To help, the nonprofit Team Paso gives local kids the chance to work with Mathnasium, a tutoring service that tailors lessons to each student.
Team Paso Managing Director Orlando Gallegos said large class sizes in public schools often leave struggling students without enough support.
“The bulk of the kids, while they listen to what's being taught– the way it's been taught for many, many years– basically have little-or-no facetime and personal instruction from a teacher,” Gallegos said.
Mathnasium addresses this problem with small group instruction, capping at four students per tutor. Each student takes a placement test and receives a personalized binder.
“It's been prepared to start them off where they tested, and every time that they come in, that lesson is upgraded so that they are making progress,” Gallegos said.
Mathnasium tutoring usually costs over $200 a month per student, but Team Paso provides it to low-income students at no cost.
However, Gallegos said it takes enormous community support and funding to keep this program alive.
