Students in the Brookhaven and Lincoln County school districts and the Mississippi School of the Arts will soon have round-the-clock access to free online tutoring in English and math.

The Mississippi Department of Education signed a $10.7 million contract with online tutoring company Paper, to provide on-demand support for students in third through 12th grades in 121 districts across the state. 

Other area districts that opted in to the program included Lawrence, Franklin, Copiah, Jefferson, Pike and Walthall counties.

MDE announced plans in February to use $10.7 million of its American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency  Relief III (ESSER) funds to purchase tutoring services from the online provider, which was selected through a request for proposals process.

The tutoring services will be live, online and available 24/7 with a live person. Teachers and administrators will have access to real-time data to assign activities, monitor student progress and schedule one-on-one small group tutoring sessions during the school day. 

Parents can also schedule services after school hours and on weekends. Services will also be available for students who are learning to speak English and students with special needs.

“Besides giving educators more tools to manage instruction and gauge students’ needs and progress, these tutoring services allow parents and students to get help with homework from a tutor any time of the day,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “Whether it’s writing an essay or solving math problems, students can get immediate assistance to complete and better understand assignments.”  

Online training and support sessions for teachers, administrators, parents and students in participating districts will start in the coming weeks. All districts will begin receiving personalized training by the end of the month. ESSER III funds cover costs of the tutoring services until Sept. 30, 2024.

See a complete list of Mississippi school districts and charter schools that opted in as of March 9.