麻豆番外

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Last year in Newark Mayor Ras Baraka declared an 鈥溌爐hat has eased only slightly: According to last spring鈥檚 standardized test scores, 23% of third graders enrolled in Newark Public Schools district passed the English language arts assessment, four points higher than in 2023 but still well below levels necessary for future academic success. In response to this ongoing need, last month Greenlight Fund Greater Newark announced聽o help improve literacy by bringing in聽Reading Partners, a 25 year-old national non-profit with a听谤别蝉别补谤肠丑-诲谤颈惫别苍听mission to have students reading at grade-level by fourth grade.

New Jersey Education Report spoke to the CEO of 麻豆番外, Adeola Whitney, to discuss an initiative that uses one-on-one consistent tutoring in order to provide students with equitable access to literacy instruction. Here is our Q&A, lightly edited:

How will 麻豆番外 address Newark鈥檚 literacy crisis?

According to Whitney, the literacy crisis is so widespread, far beyond Newark, because our 鈥渆ducation systems in the US have inequitably distributed access to quality educational resources among students based on systemic barriers often related to race and socioeconomic status.鈥� (In New Jersey these barriers are most often tied to our system of red-lining, or assigning students to one of 600 school districts based on ZIP codes which closely correlate with income levels.)

To address these inequities, 麻豆番外 is offering something different: 鈥渁 citywide solution that centers students and foundational literacy in order to make a meaningful difference.鈥�

Whitney explains,

鈥淥ne of the core ways 麻豆番外 will help address Newark鈥檚 literacy crisis is by leveraging our聽proven, evidence-based, one-on-one tutoring model, which has helped students in similar under-resourced communities across the country successfully improve their literacy skills and confidence over the past 25 years. By offering tailored literacy instruction to meet each student鈥檚 unique needs, 麻豆番外 applies a solution commensurate to the challenge of helping close an opportunity gap created by multi-generational systemic inequities.鈥�

She adds, 鈥渋n cities similar to Newark, 麻豆番外 has consistently helped over 80% of students achieve their literacy growth targets.鈥�

In order to achieve those growth targets, her organization developed an online tutoring platform called 麻豆番外 Connects that other nonprofits, schools, and organizations can access through聽聽Powered by 麻豆番外. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen first-hand how closing literacy gaps early can set students on a path to academic and lifelong success, and we look forward to our programs being part of a community wide success story for Newark,鈥� says Whitney.

Whitney has called reading a civil right.

How will the 麻豆番外 programs be implemented in Newark?

Whitney describes a 鈥渕ulti-faceted approach that will include collaborations with a wide network of partners including community-based organizations, families and parents, charter schools, and Newark Public School district and schools.鈥� 麻豆番外 will begin by recruiting community tutors鈥攕ome paid and some volunteer鈥攖o give students one-on-one literacy support. Key to this is engaging parents and caregivers, which will happen through family literacy workshops to nurture a love of reading. The goals are ambitious:

鈥淥ver the next four years, we aim to help support 4,500 students and facilitate family literacy workshops for 3,700 families in Newark, with the goal of helping at least 80% of students achieve their literacy growth targets. Based on my nearly two decades of experience working in Newark鈥攚here I have seen people consistently show up for one another in ways that feel unique for a big city鈥擨 am confident that the community will rally behind early literacy, and I am excited for 麻豆番外 to join this extended family of support for Newark鈥檚 elementary school students.鈥�

Tutors will work with students for 45 minutes twice a week using 麻豆番外鈥� curriculum, which fully incorporates the聽.

How will 麻豆番外 train tutors?

Tutors will complete a comprehensive training program (after background checks), as well as an orientation centered on social-emotional learning and educational equity to ensure that students are being holistically supported. After that, tutors receive ongoing coaching and support throughout the school year to ensure they can effectively meet each student鈥檚 individual needs.

How will student progress be tracked?

Student progress will be tracked through assessments administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, explains Whitney. These assessments help ensure that (1) students enter the program at the right level, (2) tutors are advised about how to best support their students, and (3) students make measurable progress throughout the year.

麻豆番外 also tracks literacy growth goals. Last year alone, Whitney says, 91% of K-2 students and 87% of all students in the direct tutoring programs met or exceeded their primary literacy growth goals and more than three quarters of students who received tutoring through Powered by 麻豆番外 showed literacy growth.

With Greenlight Fund鈥檚 assistance, the Newark community is showing up for each other to 鈥澛爏et students on a path to academic and lifelong success.鈥�