1,700 Tutors Needed Throughout 77 of Minnesota’s 87 Counties

Two proven AmeriCorps programs celebrate milestones this year:
Minnesota Reading Corps, 15 years, Minnesota Math Corps, 10 years.

Announcement made as part of AmeriCorps Week

MINNEAPOLIS, March 15, 2018 -- Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps announced that they will be recruiting 1,700 tutors for the 2018-19 school year –  in virtually all parts of the state, from Aurora to Zimmerman.  A total of 1,400 literacy tutors and 300 math tutors are needed in 77 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. The greatest need is in the Twin Cities schools, with an estimated 1,000 tutors to be recruited.

The announcement was made at the kick off of AmeriCorps Week, March 11-17, 2018, because Minnesota Reading Corps is AmeriCorps’ largest statewide tutoring program. AmeriCorps Week is a celebration of the people and programs who have committed to "Get Things Done" in thousands of locations across the country since AmeriCorps’ inception in 1993. As part of this year’s festivities, the organization is inviting everyone to join in a nationwide “thank you” to currently serving members, alumni, and programs.

According to Executive Director Sadie O’Connor, Minnesota has a great deal to be grateful for – especially with Reading Corps and Math Corps celebrating milestone anniversaries this year.  “As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Reading Corps and 10th anniversary of Math Corps this year, we expect to reach one more milestone. By the end of 2018, we anticipate these programs will serve a quarter of a million Minnesota children.”

Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps are statewide, research-based initiatives to help every Minnesota student become a successful reader by the end of third grade or become proficient in math by the end of eighth grade. Tutors will reach an estimated 35,000 students throughout Minnesota during the school year.

Anyone interested in learning more about Reading Corps or Math Corps, or ready to apply to serve, should visit readingandmath.net or contact 866-859-2825.

About Minnesota Reading Corps:
One in three Minnesota third graders is not reading at grade level. Minnesota Reading Corps, a statewide program, provides a solution. The program places trained AmeriCorps tutors in schools and preschools, where they deliver proven literacy strategies to help children get ready for Kindergarten and on track to become successful readers by the end of third grade. A rigorous study conducted by the University of Chicago finds Reading Corps to be one of the most effective literacy programs nationwide. For more information, please visit www.minnesotareadingcorps.org.

About Minnesota Math Corps:
State exam results show 40 percent of Minnesota eighth graders do not demonstrate grade-level proficiency in math. Minnesota Math Corps provides a solution to help students become successful 21^st century learners and to narrow achievement gaps. The program places trained AmeriCorps tutors in Minnesota schools to deliver research-based math strategies that help students in grades four through eight build the skills needed to succeed in math. For more information about this statewide program, please visit www.minnesotamathcorps.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Gary Young, Media Relations
[email protected], 612-247-8123