How to Partner

The America Reads Challenge Program at East Tennessee State University is committed to ensuring the literacy development of children and seeks to ensure that all elementary-aged children read well and independently by the end of third grade. The program utilizes federal work-study eligible ETSU students to provide individualized tutoring in schools and community centers as well as in a virtual setting. Virtual tutoring is administered through Zoom video calling and uses BookNook as the tutoring platform.  
 

The America Reads program staff recruits screens and hires students to be reading tutors.  Tutors attend training sessions to equip them with the right resources as they strive to lead their young students toward achieving better grades, higher reading levels, and expansion of their reading comprehension and vocabulary.  Although the ETSU tutors do not work directly with parents, the program emphasizes the importance of keeping parents informed and aware that their children are receiving one-on-one attention from America Reads tutors.

In alignment with the motive and goals of the America Reads Challenge, ETSU provides tutors for students in grades K-3 or any student not reading on a third grade level.  Our tutors are to assist with reading only and ideally work with the same children every week in order to improve reading ability.

Reading tutors are responsible for his or her transportation to and from the school site.  Tutors may not serve more than 10 hours per week.  Students' work schedules are determined by class schedule, need at site and their total work-study allotment.  Students are expected to work scheduled hours.  America Reads Tutor Sign-In-Sheets will be made available to each site and must be posted at the site for tutors to record their time.  Tutors must sign-in on arrival and sign-out as they leave.  We ask that the site liaison fax the sign-in sheet to us on the 15th and last day of the month.

If you are a community organization, school, or individual interested in partnering with America Reads, please complete and return this request form.

Join us as we invest in America's children and impact America's future.  If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact the America Reads Graduate Assistant at (423) 439-4161 or amreads@etsu.edu or Dr. Sara Beth Hitt at (423) 439-7776 or hittsb@etsu.edu.