Lawmakers Highlight Tutoring Initiatives to Address Post-Pandemic Learning Loss During Visit to Kean University

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari ’89, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, Union County Commissioner Sergio Granados ’10, ’16 M.P.A., and top administrators at Kean University recently came together in support of high-impact tutoring programs to address pandemic-related learning loss among elementary and middle-school students. 

Kean hosted a kickoff event for a new tutoring initiative, the Managed Peer-to-Peer Tutoring program, run by Union County. When the program starts in January, Kean students will serve as paid peer tutors for students in grades 5-8, providing the services at no cost to families. The initiative aims to bridge post-pandemic learning gaps while supporting the training of Kean’s aspiring teachers. 

“As New Jersey’s urban research university, Kean is deeply committed to providing the critical support students need to thrive, from Pre-K through higher education,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. “We were honored to welcome Congresswoman Sherrill, along with state and county leaders, to our campus to discuss vital tutoring initiatives that will address post-pandemic learning loss. These initiatives are crucial to creating an equitable path to success for students of all backgrounds across New Jersey.” 

Sherrill has introduced bipartisan federal legislation, the Expanding Access to High-Impact Tutoring Act, that would complement statewide tutoring initiatives championed by Scutari and Ruiz.  

“As a mom of four, I’m committed to ensuring that every student, in every school district and zip code, can reap the benefits of their Garden State education. That’s why I am proud to work with leaders like Senate President Scutari, Majority Leader Ruiz, and the incredible educators and student tutors at Kean University to expand access to high-quality tutoring for New Jerseyans of all ages and backgrounds,” Sherrill said.  

Scutari called tutoring an investment in the future.   

“By helping students recover from pandemic-related learning loss, high-impact tutoring programs are closing achievement gaps and giving our children the tools they need to succeed in life. When our students thrive, our communities thrive,” he said. 

Ruiz pointed to statistics showing that over half of New Jersey’s third graders are not reading at grade level, with 73.6% of Black and 72.5% of Latino students below proficiency. 

“We are at a critical juncture and must have bold, innovative conversations about how we educate our children,” she said. “We’ve made significant state-level investments, and collaboration with Congress will enhance these efforts. I thank Congresswoman Sherrill for her steadfast partnership.” 

Granados added that he is proud to see Union County’s “vision becoming reality.”  

“Together, we are building a sustainable model for academic success and community connection in Union County,” he said. 

Kean University students also attended the event held at Kean Hall. Makenzie Kuntz of Linden, a senior speech language hearing sciences major who is also president of the Kean Student Government Association, said the tutoring is a great opportunity for Kean students to develop their skills while benefiting younger students. 

“These are going to be the future generations of leaders or future students of Kean, so we want to make sure we’re playing our part in helping our surrounding community,” she said.  

Kean sophomore Ashley Mendoza Tarazona of Carteret, a biology/cellular molecular science major and a first-generation student, said she would be “100 percent” interested in becoming a tutor. 

“From my personal experience working with my little cousins and family, sometimes there’s just a lack of understanding how to get there, whether it’s understanding the coursework or knowledge of math, English and science,” she said. “Tutoring can serve that. I genuinely think it’s an amazing opportunity.”