US aid finances tutors in India
Albany Times Union - Albany,NY,USA
Outsourcing -- a practice that already has sent auto, steel
and high-tech jobs abroad -- is emerging as an issue in a
seemingly unlikely industry: student tutoring.
Indian companies such as Educomp Datamatics in West Delhi
and Career Launcher in New Delhi are offering Internet-based
tutoring services to American students.
The practice, also known as offshoring, is drawing attention
in New York, where several firms licensed by the state to
tutor students in poor-performing schools have dipped their
toes in the overseas talent pool.
The No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates testing and
says the students in low-scoring schools are entitled to
extra help, provides federal funds for such tutoring --
estimated to be a $2 billion industry.
At least two of the companies licensed in New York,
Brainfuse Online Instruction and Tutor.com, have either
hired or looked at hiring overseas tutors.
That has prompted criticism by teachers unions and the state
School Boards Association.
"We're very concerned about that," said Maria Neira, vice
president at New York State United Teachers, the state's
major teachers union. "We think we have very good, qualified
teachers here."
"It's sparked quite a bit of interest," agreed Nancy Van
Meter, a deputy director of the American Federation of
Teachers, NYSUT's national affiliate.
Van Meter said hearings are set next week in Congress about
NCLB's tutoring provisions and the offshoring issue is
likely to come up then. Part of the issue revolves around
whether federally funded tutoring jobs should stay in the
United States or go overseas.
Moreover, critics say the offshoring question underscores
another concern -- what some say is the absence of federal
guidelines for who gets licensed to be an NCLB tutor.
Possibly complicating the issue will be payments to tutors.
Reports indicate India-based tutors are being paid less than
$300 monthly.
"While No Child Left Behind requires highly qualified
teachers in the classroom ... the Department of Education
has not made that a requirement for SES (tutoring)
providers," said Dave Ernst, spokesman for the state School
Boards Association. "That's an inconsistency."
Tutoring firms are reluctant to discuss the practice.
When contacted by the Times Union, George Cigale, chief
executive officer of the New York City-based Tutor.com, said
he believed the issue was "overblown."
He added that his firm is not currently offering tutoring
under NCLB, focusing instead on privately paid tutoring
sessions and a homework assistance service offered through
public libraries. "We do not actively use overseas tutors,"
added Cigale.
But in last week's Education Week, a publication that
follows education issues, Cigale is quoted as saying his
company's use of off-shore tutors allowed an expansion of
hours, thanks to time zone differences between the U.S. and
foreign countries.
Brainfuse officials said they have looked at offshore
tutors, although they haven't used them for NCLB tutoring,
largely because of logistical concerns about getting
reliable Internet connections with school libraries where
the students would be.
"We have some tutors from overseas, but we are approaching
it with some caution," said Francesco Lecciso, a director at
Brainfuse of New York City.
Lecciso did allow that in some cases it would be helpful to
work with Indian tutors, given the number of people there
who have high-level math skills.
Tutors in Indian cities like New Delhi or Bangalore are
already helping kids in Colorado and California over the
Internet, reports said. "That's certainly an area where
there might be possibilities," Lecciso said.
Rick Karlin can be reached at 454-5758 or by e-mail at
rkarlin@timesunion.com.
