As the coronavirus pandemic continues, students around the world are experiencing significant loss of learning and social-emotional development. In a recent report from RAND Corporation, 1 in 3 teachers said their students were less prepared to participate in grade-level work this school year, but only 10% of principals indicated their school was providing additional tutoring or supplemental services. With so many students at risk falling behind, a growing number of parents and caregivers are seeking affordable one-on-one support for their children.
“As educators will attest, tutoring ranks among the most widespread, versatile, and potentially transformative instruments within today’s educational toolkit,” according to researchers from Brown Center. “With the help of tutoring, a student at the 50th percentile would improve to the 66th percentile.”
Team Read has been providing families with free, high-quality tutoring for more than two decades. We know first-hand how impactful one:one support can be for young students who are falling behind academically. Our transition to virtual tutoring has allowed us to successfully bring together hundreds of elementary students with trained teen coaches in Seattle and Highline. And we’re excited to announce Team Read’s online program is growing!
In close partnership with Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning, we will launch several new neighborhood programs in early February. These new programs will be focused on serving schools and families in several Seattle neighborhoods, including NewHolly, High Point, Magnuson, and Lake City. Students from Olympic Hills, Northgate, Sand Point, Emerson, Sanislo, Wing Luke, West Seattle Elementary and more will be invited to participate. In hopes of creating community connection through shared experience, we have recruited coaches from north Seattle for the first time in several years, drawing from the high schools in the same feeder patterns as the elementary schools our readers attend.
Our goal is to serve up to 150 more students and provide up to 75 more teens a position to work at Team Read. We are so excited for the opportunity to continue expanding our work to serve students most in need of reading support.