ST PAUL, Minn — For almost 25 years, Reading Partners has partnered with schools and community organizations to provide K-5 students with 1-on-1 tutoring.
The national nonprofit has served the Twin Cities area for nearly a decade, and local executive director Brooke Rivers says tutoring is urgently needed here because statewide reading rates are still lower than they were before the pandemic.
"Our [Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment] scores for 2023 showed that just under 50% of students were reading at grade level," Rivers said.
Last school year, the organization tutored more than 300 kids, with each student getting at least 12 sessions.
Rivers says the extra help worked, as 80% of all kids tutored last year reached their reading goals, and 91% of K-2 graders met their grade level benchmarks by the end of the year.
But the tutors are volunteers, and although more than 400 people are signed up this year, Rivers says at least a couple hundred more are needed now.
"We want to make sure that what we're doing is actually making a meaningful difference for students, and if students are enrolled too much after February, there's just not enough time in the year for them to get that meaningful impact," she said.
Reading Partners Twin Cities aims to add 50 tutoring sessions by the end of the month, with the goal of reaching its highest student enrollment since the start of the pandemic.
"The more volunteers we can get in the door, the more students we can serve," Rivers said.
Eligible applicants must be at least 14 years old, and no experience is required. Volunteers must pass a background check and complete a required orientation. The time commitment is a little over 1 hour per week, with in-person sessions occurring Mon-Thurs between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
"You don't need to come up with, 'oh gosh we're introducing the 'ph' sound. What words would I use? How would I introduce it?' It's all scripted out right there for the tutor," Rivers said. "Instead of wringing your hands and saying, 'What are we going to do? Those poor teachers,' you can actually take a step forward and make an impact."
Those interested in tutoring can sign up to volunteer here, or email volunteertc@readingpartners.org.
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