Literacy Tutoring Grant

The Arkansas Literacy Tutoring Grant Program is an initiative administered by the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (ADE-DESE), designed to enhance early literacy skills for students in kindergarten through third grade. Funded under the LEARNS Act, the program provides eligible families with $1,500 grants to access high-quality, state-approved literacy tutoring services or digital literacy applications. The grant aims to support students who are identified as at risk of reading difficulties, do not meet the state's reading standards, or were retained in third grade or received a good cause exemption for promotion to grade four. Participation in the program is limited to Arkansas public school and open-enrollment charter school students. The grant supports tutoring outside of regular school hours, and all services must be obtained from providers approved by the ADE. Services can be delivered in-person or virtually. Approved digital literacy tools are also allowable, provided they appear on the state-vetted list. Grant reimbursements must be completed by June 30, 2026, and funds cannot roll over into the following academic year. The ADE notifies superintendents of eligible students in two stages via the Digi Locker portal. In November 2025, notifications were sent for third-grade students in priority groups 1–3. A second wave is expected in mid-December 2025 for eligible kindergarten through second-grade students, dependent on funding availability. Families are informed by their district and can apply using a state-provided eligibility letter. Applications are submitted online through a portal managed by ClassWallet, a digital wallet platform that also processes payments to approved vendors. To apply, families must provide student and guardian contact information, as well as a valid email address. Once eligibility is confirmed, applicants receive instructions from ClassWallet to create an account, agree to program assurances, and submit invoices. ADE staff review all expenses for compliance before reimbursing providers. If funding is exhausted, a waitlist will be created and used should additional resources become available. Eligibility is restricted to students identified as not meeting literacy benchmarks or as at-risk via a high-quality screener. The program requires parental engagement and district-level communication to ensure uptake. Schools are encouraged to assist families by hosting office hours, providing materials, and integrating outreach into existing family engagement efforts. The program does not require a cost match and is funded entirely by the state. All unspent funds expire at the end of the 2025–2026 school year. For additional information, families may contact the ADE or visit the tutoring services website.

Be sure to whitelist notification emails; funds are limited and processed on a first-come, first-served basis; save login credentials for ClassWallet.