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June 7, 2004 - Academic testing boosts tutoring services
Privately owned tutorial businesses prosper, become more competitive Jane Meinhardt Staff Writer Published: June 7, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------ Changes in standardized tests, new tests, academic performance requirements and the quest for scholarships have been very good to the tutoring business. The Academic Center of Tampa reports that its average monthly revenue increased by 200 percent in 2003. Center students come from all over the Tampa Bay area. Campbell's Tutorial Inc. in Seminole has grown every year since opening in 1986. The business has tutored more than 3,500 students, and its owners see nothing but more and more demand in the future. "It's a business where there's lots of room if you want to grow," said Dave Campbell, who owns the firm with his wife. Elizabeth Villanova opened the Academic Center in April 2002, using a $5,000 loan from her parents. Today, the business has no debt. The firm started with 20 students. In May, 67 were being tutored, she said. Villanova declined to provide financial details of her business, but the Academic Center made what she described as "a pretty decent profit" in 2003. The center offers one-on-one tutoring year-round for a flat fee of $40 per hour. The fee is basically the same whether a student is being tutored for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and other tests or receiving specific subject tutoring. The center also provides tutoring packages for a certain number of hours at a discounted rate that could be as low as $33 an hour, she said. "I have some parents who have a package for $9,500 worth of tutoring for their two children," Villanova said. "They're good students in public schools. One is in fourth grade, and the other is in the seventh. Their parents are eager to have them academically succeed and perform well on the FCAT." All students enrolled in tutoring at the center passed the FCAT this year, including those with learning disabilities, according to Villanova. Students in third through 10th grades take the FCAT. Students in third, sixth, seventh and ninth grades are tested in reading and math. Fourth graders are also tested in writing. Fifth graders are tested in reading, math and science. Eighth and 10th graders are tested in math, reading, science and writing. Scores this year showed more than half the state's students who took the FCAT are reading at or above grade level for the first time in Florida's history. Results also showed 56 percent of all students performed at or above grade level in math. Interest in math tutoring has increased because the state wants more achievement, Villanova said. In the past, the center was doing a lot of remedial tutoring. Now, more above-average private school students are getting tutorial help. "As standards increase, everything gets more competitive," Villanova said. "Additionally, I'm seeing parents going from private to public schools. The problem is that the kids are not taught how to take the standardized tests in private school." Although the number of private school students is increasing, about 65 percent of the center's business remains tutoring public school students. Most are in the fourth to sixth grades. The center had to relocate to a larger facility -- 1,400 square feet of leased space in Carrollwood -- about seven months after opening, she said. The center also has doubled its staff to 11 certified teachers. Teachers are paid $12 an hour. However, Villanova has instituted a bonus system tied to how well students perform on tests. She predicted continued growth because testing will continue. Test modifications -- the SAT will be different in 2005 -- also drive growth. Parents are willing to pay now for tutoring with the prospect of saving money in the future, she said. Tutored students who perform better on competitive tests are more likely to receive scholarships. Campbell agreed. The quest for scholarships starts early, he said. "We've saved people thousands and thousands of dollars," Campbell said. "And anytime there's new testing, it's good for us. When they cut summer school funding, it's good because we have more enrollments." Campbell's Tutorial has 11 certified teachers. Tutoring is done at the 2,100-square-foot building Campbell owns in Seminole. "Six years ago, we doubled our space," he said. "We've had to steadily increase the number of teachers." The firm charges $260 a month for eight to 10 hours of tutoring or about $30 per hour. The student teacher ratio is two to one. Currently, Campbell's teachers tutor 120 students twice weekly. One out of five is a private school student. Most students enrolled there are from the Seminole area, Campbell said. About 75 percent of his business comes from referrals. "There are more tutoring businesses out there because more kids, period, are going to tutors," he said. "There's always going to be some form of testing and higher stakes regarding those tests." Copyright(c) American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved. You can view this article on the web at: http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2004/06/07/focus1.html
July 12, 2003 - Tampa Tribune article on ACT (requires Adobe Reader)
About Academic Center of Tampa
Academic Center of Tampa is the premier private tutoring center in the county. Offering 1:1 tutoring at affordable rates, ACT helps students reach their academic potential. ACT is a small business, not a corporate franchise. In the news: Academic Center of Tampa has been featured on ABC NEWS, in the Tampa Bay Business Journal, The Carrollwood News, The Beacon, The Sentinel, and on the websites of Westchase community and The Family Education Network. Did you know? Third grade students must pass the reading portion of the FCAT. Students who do not pass will repeat the grade. This is cause for concern for many parents. It is highly recommended that families get one-on-one tutoring as early as possible to ensure success and promotion. Benchmarks: Students in grades 2, 5, and 8 take the Benchmark tests. Fl. Writes: Students in grades 4, 8 and 10 take the Fl. Writes. FCAT: Students in grades 3-10 take the FCAT. Grades 5,8 and 10 will also have a science section. |
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