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[COLORADO]Samples of America Reads Challenge Federal Work-Study Programs and National Service Initiatives
BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE
President Sandra Serrano
America Reads Contact: Sonia Hogg
Address: 1801 Panorama Drive
City: Bakersfield
State: CA 93305
Email: shogg@bc.cc.ca.us
Telephone: (805)395-4240
Fax: (805)395-4241
Number of Students: 40
Number of Districts: 2
The Bakersfield College AmeriCorps/America Reads program is one of 25 being operated statewide through a grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office called "Building Individual and Communty Self-Sufficiency Through Service". Currenty we have 40 members placed in local elementary schools, and child care facilities. The Bakersfield City School District, Lerdo Richland School District, Kern County Housing Authority, USDA Rual Development, and the Bakersfield College Child Care Centers are participating partners and
sites.
The program has 900 and 450 hour positions, and a 9-12 month commitment is required. Members provide 10-20 hours per week of tutoring children pre-school through third grade. All members are fulll-time students, eligible for federal work study , TANF recipents eligible for CalWorks, or volunteers. Many of them have expressed and interest in becoming teachers, chid care workers, working in the field of human services, or they have expressed a desire to own their own day care. All students who successfully complete their service hours receive an educational award from the Corporation for National Service.
The program utilizes one VISTA provided by the Corporation for National Service and many community volunteers.
BIOLA UNIVERSITY
President Clyde Cook
America Reads Contact: George M. Jenkins
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA
Email: george_jenkins@peter.biola.edu
Telephone: (562) 903-4742
Fax: (562) 906-4541
Number of FWS Students: 30
Number of Districts: 17
We have 30 students working with 17 local elementary schools in 5 surrounding communities, tutoring students in grades 1 - 3. The tutors are working approximately 10 hours per week and are responsible for their own transportation to the off campus tutoring site. We have tried to accommodate students who do not have cars by placing them at elementary schools that are close to the university campus. The students participated in an initial training sessions conducted by personnel from our on campus Learning Assistance Center. We were not able to send tutors to every school that requested help. We continue to have a strong interest in the program from the community. The program was coordinated through the financial aid office this year, but will change to the Learning Assistance Center for the 1998-99 year.
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE
President Rob Roberts
America Reads Contact: Catherine Cheung
1210 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA
Email: ccheung@ccpm.edu
Telephone: 415-292-0411
Tutoring takes place approximately two times per week after school in the cafeteria.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO
President Manuel A. Esteban
America Reads Contact: Marilyn A. Winzenz
Provost's Office, CSU, Chico
Chico, California 95929-0110
Email: mwinzenz@oavax.csuchico.edu
Telephone: 530-898-6101
Fax: 530-898-4438
School Districts: Chico and Paradise
Our tutors are prospective elementary school teachers, who are being trained and mentored by certified reading specialists and reading teachers. Tutors work during the regular school hours to provide children with the personal attention needed to develop self confidence and interest in reading, as well as much-needed skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. America Reads is helping link prospective teachers, young children, and practicing teachers in northern California. The result so far is a very positive one for the children, their families, the schools, and the University.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS
President Dr. Herbert Carter
America Reads Contact: Dr. Caron Mellblom
1000 E. Victoria St.
City: Carson, CA 90747
Email: AmeriCorps@CSUDH.EDU
Telephone: 310 243-3656
Fax: 310 516-3311
Number of Students: 18
Our members are placed in three elementary and one after school program in the Compton and Carson area. Tutoring takes place during and after school. The members will receive training through the year. Some of our members are part of the AmeriCorps program.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO
President John D. Welty
America Reads Contact: Chris Fiorentino
5150 N. Maple Avenue M/S JA120
Fresno, CA
Email: chrisf@csufresno.edu
Website: http://www.csufresno.edu/scs/reads.html
Telephone: (209)278-7079
Fax: (209)278-6483
Number of FWS Students: 56
Number of Districts: 1
In response to the America Reads Challenge, California State University, Fresno developed the Fresno READS (Reading Enhancement and Academic Development through Service) program. By focusing the combined efforts of several existing literacy programs, and by developing new programs, the Fresno READS project will serve to raise the reading and academic abilities of hundreds of children each year. Currently, well over 400 students are involved in various tutoring and literacy projects, and 56 students participate through the America Reads FWS component. In 1997/98, FWS tutors logged over 6,100 hours of tutoring and in 1998/99 year we expect to double that figure.
Fresno READS FWS tutors work at two local elementary schools and a nonprofit service organization. At the nonprofit organization, tutors utilize a mentoring and family literacy approach, while the school based tutors work with a traditional tutoring approach. Fresno READS utilizes a comprehensive training and support program, as well as a detailed evaluation component to ensure quality tutoring interaction.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD
President Norma Rees
America Reads Contact: Jan Giovannini-Hill
Office of Financial Aid--WA545
Hayward, CA 94542-3028
Email: jgiovann@csuhayward.edu
Website: http://www.csuhayward.edu
Telephone: (510)885-3357
Fax: (510)885-4627
Number of FWS Students: 10
Number of Districts: 1
We are definitely a "work in progress" here. FWS students now have the choice of participating as tutors on campus in our Early Childhood Education Center, or off campus at a local elementary school.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
President Donald R. Gerth
America Reads Contact: Dr. Susan Gomez
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6079
Email: gomezs@educserver.educ.csus.edu
Telephone: 916-278-5543
Fax: 916-278-6643
Number of FWS Students: 24 in fall 1997, 18 in spring 1998
Number of Districts: SETA Head Start Consortium
CSUS has several America Reads cohorts coordinated through the School of Education. The cohort trained by Dr. Gomez and her colleague, Dr. Karen Horobin, serves preschool children in Head Start programs in the Sacramento metropolitan area. This year we have placed tutors in 21 different sites over the fall and spring semesters. Tutors in this program receive on-campus training for two hours each week, provided by Drs. Gomez and Horobin. They also spend about eight hours each week in the classrooms, working with individual and small groups of children. So, in this model, tutors are assigned to an entire classroom rather than individual children. Content for the training classes includes children's literacy development, designing classroom literacy environments, planning and implementing literacy activities, and involving families in early literacy.
We are in the process of collecting some basic quantitative and qualitative data on the success of the program, including simple assessment of children's literacy abilities, and surveys of tutors and teachers. Development and implementation of the program have been helped by the ongoing collaboration between CSUS faculty and the Head Start teachers and administrators. Faculty have worked closely with Head Start personnel in developing training, and have been regular participants in Head Start's regular in service meetings. Another key element of our success has been Head Start's commitment to providing materials for the classrooms and tutors. We are already committed to continuing this cohort next academic year.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNADINO
President Albert Karnig
America Reads Contact: Ted Krug
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, California 92407
Email: tkrug@wiley.csusb.edu
Website: http://finaid.csusb.edu/amrinfo.htm
Telephone: (909)880-5221
Fax: (909)880-7024
Number of FWS Students: 60
Number of Districts: Colton, Fontana, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino
CSUSB, in cooperation with five major local school districts, provides reading tutors to disadvantaged primary school children at various elementary schools in the districts. Applicants are prescreened by a CSUSB faculty committee, then interviewed and selected for employment by each school district. As required by state law, background checks are conducted on all tutors by the districts. The reading tutors are enrolled in a formal class in literacy tutoring at the university prior to employment with the district. More information is available at our web site- http://finaid.csusb.edu
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SONOMA
President Roben Armiñana
America Reads Contact: Julie McClure
1801 E. Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Email: scholars@sonoma.edu
Internet Address:
www.sonoma.edu/cihs/slc/sch_about.html
Telephone: 707/664-4232
Fax: 707/664-2417
Number of Students: 140/28
Number of Districts: 4
Sonoma State University's America Reads program is a collaborative effort between Project SCHOLARS.an AmeriCorps/CDE funded program, financial aid, the school of education, and 8 local elementary schools. Through Project SCHOLARS, college students interested in teaching careers are placed as tutors and become part-time AmeriCorps Members. As AmeriCorps members, students receive an education award at the end of their service commitment, in addition to their hourly wage. Tutors work 4 hours/day, 4 days per week over a two semester period. This enables the tutors to provide intensive, on-going intervention to students in need.
Over 140 tutors (28 on work study) provide one-on-one reading tutoring to over 600 K-3rd grade students who are reading below grade. Tutors are trained to facilitate literacy development through reading-aloud, guided reading, word work, interactive and guided writing practice, and independent reading. All tutors are also trained to assess their student's to ensure they are working at an instructional reading level. VISTA Members coordinate local site reading tutoring programs (1 per site). Currently, the program has over 140 tutors (28 receive work study) engaging children in reading and language arts tutoring. The program is able to leverage multiple funding sources and training resources to deliver a high quality reading intervention program for Sonoma County children.
COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS
President Dianne G. Van Hook
America Reads Contact: Beth Asmus
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Email: asmus_b@mail.coc.cc.ca.us
URL: http://www.coc.cc.ca.us
Telephone: 661.259.7800 x. 3275
Fax: 661.259.2617
Number of Students:
Number of Districts:
COC has just implemented the America Reads program with the help of a VISTA volunteer. Spring 1999 term saw 8 reading tutors complete training and go out into the local elementary schools. Two of the reading tutors were funded by FWS, the others were volunteers.
CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE
President Helen Spencer
America Reads Contact: Dr. Baji Daniels
2600 Mission Bell Drive
San Pablo, CA
Email: baji@aol.com
Website: http://www.contracosta.cc.ca.us
Telephone: (510) 235-7800
Fax: 510-236-6768
Number of FWS Students: 60
Number of Districts: 1
IMPERIAL VALLEY COLLEGE
President Gilbert Dominguez
America Reads Contact: Victor M. Jaime
P.O. Box 158
Imperial, CA
Email:
victorj@imperial.cc.ca.us
Website: www.imperial.cc.ca.us
Telephone: (760) 355-6269
Fax: (760)355-6119
Number of FWS Students: 10
The America Reads Program began in Imperial Valley in the Spring of 1998. A coalition headed by the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development was formed in the Fall, 1997 to develop this program. Imperial Valley college was able to place 7 students working in the housing projects under the supervision of the USDA Rural Development Program. Due to budget constraints, Imperial Valley College was only able to afford the 100% cost share of the work study for these 7 students during the 1997-98 academic year. It is our expectation to be able to provide more tutors in other locations throughout the Imperial Valley in the future. Starting with a small program allows us to make modifications where needed without a disruption of services.
LIFE CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE WEST
President Gerard Clum, D.C.
America Reads Contact: Susan Russell
2005 Via Barrett
San Lorenzo, CA 94580
Email: srussell@lifewest.edu
Website: www.lifewest.edu
Telephone: 510-276-9013 ext. 251
Fax: 510-276-4893
Number of FWS Students: 31
Number of Districts: 1
Approximately 50% of the time our tutors spend is in 4 different elementary schools during the school day. In the evening our tutors are in 2 local shelters and in the daycare at an adult school.
To recruit tutors we have posted flyers around campus and provided information to new students at orientation each quarter. Our best resource has been the students themselves. They tend to tell their friends about the program. We have successfully been able to maintain approx. 30 tutors at all times.
MIRACOSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
President Tim Dong
Contact: Aiden Ely
Address: One Barnard Drive
City: Oceanside
State: California
Email: aely@yar.miracosta.cc.ca.us
Telephone: (760) 757-2121, ext. 6359
Fax: (760) 795-6773
This project is one of 25 being operated statewide through a grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellors's Office called "Building Individual and Community Self-Sufficiency Through Service". At the College we have named the program "Reader Leaders". We annually enroll 47 students into AmeriCorps and place them in local elementary schools and pre-schools as reading tutors. We target enrollment of TANF recipients and federal work study eligible students who are concurrently enrolled in Early Childhood Development certificate programs or liberal arts studies leading to transfer for a degree in teaching.
The students provide 8-15 hours per week of tutoring to children in pre-school or kindergarten through third grade classes. Upon successful completion of their 450 hour AmeriCorps service commitment, students will have earned an educational award from the Corporation for National Service.
MONTEREY COUNTY AMERICA READS CONSORTIUM
President: Dr. Kirk Avery, Monterey Peninsula College; Dr. Warren J. Baker, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; Dr. James L. Doti, Chapman University; Dr. Richard M. Krasno, Monterey Institute of International Studies; Dr. Grace Mitchell, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo; Dr. Peter Smith, CSU Monterey Bay; Dr. Edward Valeau, Hartnell College, Salinas.
America Reads Contact: Sylvia M. Panetta
Address: California State University Monterey Bay
100 Campus Center, Building 80
Seaside, CA 93955
Email: anita@orca.monterey.edu
Telephone: 408-582-4200
Fax: 408-582-4082
Number of FWS Students: 93 FWS, Service Learners, and Volunteers in 1997-1998
Number of Districts: 22 School Districts, 98-99
Monterey County America Reads Consortium is a collaborative effort of 22 elementary school districts; seven institutions of higher education (IHEs) which are California State University Monterey Bay; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Chapman University; Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo; Monterey Institute of International Studies; Hartnell College, Salinas and Monterey Peninsula College; Monterey County Office of Education; Community Partnership for Youth and Monterey County Free Libraries. Monterey County America Reads provides a network for all partners in the educational process: home, school, and community to join together to ensure that every Monterey County student can read well and independently by third grade. This effort will ensure that the gateway to success is open wide as our children enter fourth grade able to read, enjoying reading, well prepared for academic rigor, and on the way to successful futures.
In 1998-99, the Monterey County America Reads Consortium will provide one-on-one reading tutoring to 1,311 K-3rd grade students who are reading below grade at 42 schools. Learning techniques utilized by the tutors include building reading fluency and accuracy through practice at the student's independent and instructional reading levels and one-on-one reinforcement of skills being taught in classroom instruction. Sites select the specific materials and activities that supplement and complement the student's classroom reading instruction. VISTA Members support the tutor recruitment process and help coordinate local site reading tutoring programs. Community members are recruited through parent organizations and a variety of volunteer agencies. IHEs hire and select the Work Study, Service Learning and AmeriCorps tutors, paying those who are to be paid and replacing those who leave. IHEs evaluate the performance of their tutors with input from classroom teachers, site coordinators and VISTAs.
With strong county-wide participation in America Reads, an effective, equitable and efficient organizational process for coordination of the program has been established. A Roundtable, consisting of executive heads of each organization, meets biannually to provide institutional support and leadership. A Task Force, composed of a Roundtable appointee from each participating organization, meets quarterly to monitor implementation and provide ongoing leadership to the program. Geographic subcommittees, co-chaired by an IHE representative and a school district program coordinator, meet regularly to facilitate effective implementation of the local program. Detailed descriptions of roles and responsibilities for all participants in the Consortium are contained in the Monterey County America Reads Handbook which serves as a guide for program development by sharing effective practices and pertinent information.
RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
President Salvatore Rotella
America Reads Contact: Eugenia Vincent
4800 Magnolia Avenue
Riverside, California
Email: jackiebg@rccd.cc.ca.us
Telephone: (909) 222-8711
Fax: (909) 222-8006
Number of FWS Students: 35-40
Number of Districts: 3
Our America Reads program currently serves 10 elementary schools and a local library that utilizes the Internet. The schools/library have established a training program for the tutors at their respective facilities.
Last year was our first year Implementing the America program. Many of the students employed as tutors were rehired this year. Many stayed on as volunteers after their FWS award ran out. The program has been received eagerly by students and schools.
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
President Gerhard Casper
America Reads Contact: Janyce Prothro
Haas Center, 562 Salvatierra Walk
Stanford, CA 94305-8620
Email: janyce@leland.stanford.edu
URL: http://haas.stanford.edu
Telephone: (650) 723-5786
Fax: (650) 725-7339
Number of Students: 22 FWS and 49 volunteers
Number of Districts: 1
Ravenswood Reads is a reading tutorial program for 2nd through 5th graders at two schools in the Ravenswood City School District in neighboring East Palo Alto. Stanford students support classroom teaching by providing one on one instruction during the school day three times a week for 40 minute tutoring sessions.The goal of the program is to give each of the 110 elementary school students involved with the program the requisite skills to begin reading at or above grade level. Each child has been recommended to the program by a teacher based on their need for more individualized reading instruction. After the completion of a mandatory four hour training session each tutor is prepared to utilize the "Reading One to One" curriculum, as adapted from the University of Texas at Dallas by Stanford University. Each tutor focuses their lessons on one of three curricular areas depending on an initial assessment completed by the tutor: letter/sound relationships (Alphabet level); using sounds to read words (Word Family level); and reading comprehension (Reading Comprehension level).
A staff coordinator works with seven Stanford student coordinators to ensure the smooth running of daily operations including training/reflection meetings, scheduling, van transportation, teacher interactions, and tutor development. Each tutor is required to commit to a minimum of four sessions a week with Ravenswood Reads and encouraged to attend weekly reflection meetings. Seventy-one Stanford students currently work with the program of which 22 are workstudy recipients.
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
President Robert A. Corrigan
America Reads Contact: Dr. Marsha Adler
Office of the President, 1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
E-mail: mnadler@diana.sfsu.edu
Telephone: (415)338-6879
Fax: (415)338-6885
Number of FWS students: 65
San Francisco State University's America Reads Challenge program received a Learn and Serve Higher Education grant from the Corporation for National Service to implement its planning, curriculum and tutor training, placement and supervision. The program began in late August, with 65 Federal Work-Study tutors, chosen from among nearly 150 applicants. The tutors, who have indicated their intention to become elementary school teachers, were trained by faculty on two successive weekends. All of the tutors are enrolled in a year-long course that supports the academic, sociological, psychological and pedantic aspects of reading. Tutors began their activities in early September and are working in twelve low-performing elementary schools in San Francisco.
San Francisco State also applied for, and received, twelve AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteers who are coordinating the SFSU students and other volunteer tutors and developing summer reading and family literacy programs for the schools. To support the program, the San Francisco delegation and the Presidents' Summit is working with local corporations and foundations to establish neighborhood reading centers in libraries, churches and community centers across the city that will utilize volunteer tutors for young children and their families. Dr. Robert Corrigan, President of San Francisco State University, as Chair of the Steering Committee of College Presidents for the America Reads Challenge.
SILICON VALLEY COLLEGE
President Ellis C. Gedney, Ph.D.
America Reads Contact: Glenn Willis
41350 Christy Street
Fremont, CA
Email: mark@svcollege.com
Website: http://www.siliconvalley.edu
Telephone: (510) 623-9966
Fax: (510) 623-9822
Number of FWS Students: 20
Number of Districts: Fremont USD
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Chancellor Robert Berdahl
America Reads Contact: Anita Madrid
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, California
Email: ajmadrid@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Website: http://haas.berkeley.edu/bpledge/americareads.html
Telephone: (510)643-5088
Fax: (510)642-9483
Number of FWS Students: 39
Number of Districts: 3
In Fall of 1997 the University of California, Berkeley America Reads Program deployed 39 FWS tutors and 100 AmeriCorp student volunteers to provide tutoring in the surrounding schools. Tutoring is conducted both in and out of the classroom. Four special literacy pilots are aimed at improving literacy rates in grades K,1,2,4 and 6. Three pilots are directed by faculty in the Graduate School of Education and one by the Center for Extreme Ultra Violet Astrophysics. Each pilot, developed in partnership with the school, and is responsible for the initial and on-going training of the tutors and for developing a research methodology for evaluating the results of their unique intervention. One pilot is testing the impact of on-line language tutoring using specially designed software and another partners the tutors with community mentors from the I have a Dream Foundation and Stiles Hall, a local non-profit community organization. Our web site gives greater detail on each!
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
President Laurel L. Wilkening
America Reads Contact: Betty Isa
160 Administration Building, UCI
Irvine, California
Email: bisa@uci.edu Internet Address: http://www.cfep.uci.edu/AMERICORPS
Telephone: (714) 824-4810
Fax: (714) 824-8219
Number of FWS Students: 50
Number of Districts: Santa Ana Unified School District and Newport-Mesa Unified School District
In this inaugural year, UCI's Center for Educational Partnerships has placed 50 America Reads Challenge (ARC) Tutors at 5 local elementary schools within Santa Ana Unified School District and Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and 3 Library Learning Centers in Santa Ana. ARC Tutors placed at the school sites work during school hours within the classroom setting either one-on-one or in small groups, tutoring students in grades first to fifth (e.g., two schools are focusing on fourth and fifth grade students transitioning to English reading, two schools are focusing on second graders, and one school is focusing on third graders). The ARC Tutors at the Santa Ana Library Learning Centers tutor students in elementary grades, weekdays after school and on Saturdays. The Center for Educational Partnerships coordinates the program. It is the strength of the partnership, however--with the school districts, elementary schools, the Santa Ana Public Library Department, and UCI's Department of Education and Financial Aid Office--that make the program work successfully. The lessons learned in this first year are helping the partnership refine the program to serve more sites and students in the upcoming year.
Specifics of the ARC Tutor position: Hourly rate for the tutors is $8.09; must have own transportation; sophomores/juniors/seniors; FWS awards of $1500 or higher; and must be able to work a minimum of 10 hours per week (a minimum of 2 days per week). ARC Tutor profile: Language skills to adequately understand and communicate with a wide range of students; ability to work and relate with children of all ages and backgrounds; good academic standing; desirable personal characteristics: enthusiasm, imagination, patience, responsibility, flexibility, good communication and leadership skills, and a sincere "liking" of children; bilingual Spanish/English or Vietnamese/English language skills helpful; and some tutoring experience helpful. Recruitment/Publicity: A direct mailing to FWS recipients of awards $1500 or higher, advertisement in the university paper during Welcome Week and first two weeks of classes, an information table promoting the ARC Tutor positions during Welcome Week, and presentations to student organizations. Selection and Placement: Screened applications and one page responses as to why they are interested in being an ARC Tutor, interviews, academic standing, survey of interests (school vs. library), schedule of availability, etc. Placements were determined by several variables including the time availability of the tutor and best match between tutor and site. Orientation/Training: Tutors are required to attend initial training on reading, program and site orientations, as well as ongoing training sessions. Tutor support: Tutors are supplied with various resources to use during their tutoring sessions (e.g., "Read to Succeed Literacy Tutor's Manual" by Lois A. Bader; "Family Time Reading Fun" by Linda Clinard; and "America Reads Challenge Read*Write*Now" activity booklet). Evaluation: Data sets include pre/post assessments administered by the schools and by the ARC Tutors, including an oral Attitudinal/Interest Inventory and Bader's Informal Reading Inventory (Graded Word Lists, and Graded Passages) from her "Reading and Language Inventory." Standardized test scores will also be analyzed for their utility in measuring individual student progress.
USC READERS
America Reads Contact: Tina Koneazny
804 W. 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA
E-mail: koneazny@usc.edu
Telephone: (213) 740-1834
Fax: (213) 740-1825
USC Readers is a work-study program based in the University of Southern California's College of Letters Arts and Sciences. The program serves to promote literacy in neighborhood schools. USC Readers' goal is to instill a love of reading in students that will generate improvement in the reading and writing skills of young readers in our community. We feel that we can best accomplish this goal by:
Working with students who are performing at the third quartile--Those students who are just below grade level and may just need a little extra attention to pull them into books and reading. Working one-on-one with students-Development of a consistent relationship with one child, revolving around books and literacy is the most effective teaching/bonding connection. It not only builds the child's self-esteem to have individual attention, but it also communicates to the child the importance and joy of learning to read. Working together at least one hour at a time, as much as schedules permit-In order for readers to form that special bond between themselves and their students, there needs to be time for conversations and sharing beyond that of reading. Working with words through reading, writing and speaking -And guiding literacy through the use of the three cuing systems that good readers use simultaneously: meaning, structure and phonics.
The USC Readers Program is made possible by a broad-based collaboration across campus. The federal work-study program, the Financial Aid Office, the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, the Joint Educational Project (JEP), and a grant from the University Neighborhood Outreach Fund (UNO) provide financial support for the program. Other units on campus that have provided assistance include the USC Volunteer Collaborative, the Neighborhood Academic Initiative, The Educational Consortium of Los Angeles, and the School of Education.
USC Readers began officially on May 19, 1997 with a week long training session. During the summer, 66 undergraduates were trained and placed in four local Los Angeles Unified School District schools - Foshay Learning Center, Norwood Elementary, Vermont Elementary and Weemes Elementary. They contributed more than 15,000 hours of assistance to the schools, most of it in the form of one-to-one tutoring with kids in grades K-6.
During the months of August and September extensive recruitment, hiring and training took place for the first fall semester of USC Readers. About half of the summer staff continued with the program and a new cadre of 70 work-study students were hired and placed in the four schools targeted during the summer, as well as an additional site, 32nd Street Magnet School. These five schools make up the USC "Family of Five" schools.
Currently, our Readers work between 8 and 20 hours per week at their sites. Combined, they provide approximately 1000 hours of one-on one literacy assistance each week. Principals and teachers at each of the schools have commented on the improvements in the reading ability of the children involved in the program.
Each reader receives an 8 hour training prior to working with the children. Readers also receive training during mid-semester or mid-summer training "retreats." On the job assistance is provided by Site Coordinators, helpful teachers, and a toolkit of advice and activities developed by previous Readers. Training includes information about the three cuing systems (meaning phonics, and structure), literacy activity development, assessment tools, teaching strategies, book suggestions, modeling and trouble shooting tips. At training, Readers are also required to complete a student work agreement. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of a Reader and employee. Failure to comply with the agreement can result in written documentation of the problems, suspension from the program, and in some cases, termination. Readers also undergo performance evaluations once every semester.
Administration of the Program is multi-tiered. Student Coordinators are directly in contact with the individual Readers at their assigned sites. At most sites, it is the student Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators that supervise, support and evaluate Reader performance. They develop work schedules and distribute and collect notices, timesheets, and messages from the Readers to the office staff. They are also responsible for keeping the school principles and faculty aware of Reader schedule changes and student progress. Our director makes frequent trips to each site to maintain contact with the Readers and with school faculty and staff. Most planning decisions are made in brainstorming sessions between the USC Readers Program Director and JEP Director. Decision making also occurs at weekly staff meetings with the Coordinators and the Program Director.
Book donations and the personal book collection of our Program Director allow us to check out books for use with students. Currently, we are working on a partnership with the Rolling Readers organization. It is hoped that a partnership with Rolling Readers will result in the addition of Spanish language books to our collection. In the mean time, the libraries and faculty of the "Family of Five" schools have proved very helpful in supplying Readers with tutoring materials.
In order to get clear feedback from the Readers, we require the completion of a weekly work log. The work log asks readers to place their work hours into several categories; tutoring one on one, tutoring three or more students, tutoring a class, etc. This log data is placed into an Excel worksheet, and helps us determine whether we are meeting our goal of one child, one Reader, one hour. The reverse side of the work log asks a reflection question. Questions typically ask a reader to describe a good or bad session they had during the week, explain what was good or bad, and how the session could have been improved. This log is also our best tool of program evaluation. If training is upcoming or being planned, the logs provide some information about what should be covered. Often, three to five of the written responses are published in our monthly newsletter.
Program evaluation also includes an evaluation of the Program Coordinators and Program Director by the Readers. This allows us to see what kinds of support the Readers would like more of, and how efficient the Coordinators are in providing that support. Student evaluation is done with the Running Record Assessment tool for students who read, an Alphabet Assessment tool for emergent readers, and a Garfield Reading Attitude Survey. All students have file folders at their schools containing assessment results and work samples. School principals and teachers can access these files to see exactly what the students are doing when the work with a Reader. All assessment, administrative, and training tools are available upon request for a nominal copying fee.
USC Readers has not yet been recognized by local or national media, nor has it actively pursued these efforts. Our only successful promotion of the program thus far has been through campus newspapers. Rather, USC Readers has concentrated its efforts in building a literacy network among California college and university campuses to support like programs. In this effort, USC hosted an America Reads symposium in the summer of 1997 gathering representatives from nearly 20 campuses ranging from as far as San Francisco to San Diego. This symposium was designed to allow campuses with up and running America Reads programs to share what they had learned in development and implementation of such a program. Drawing upon both the struggles and successes of developed and developing America Reads programs proved beneficial to campuses at all stages of the program development process. This gathering also provided an opportunity to clarify requirements of the program and how to be! st manage an America Reads program. USC plans to continue its role as a leader along with other campuses who have chosen to undertake the America Reads Challenge.
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This page last updated May 14, 1999 (lw/pjk)