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SALT LAKE CITY -- This back-to-school year, a statewide movement is underway to help a few thousand students become better readers.
Read Today's Project Tutor has already helped one school address one of their most persistent problems--stopping the summer slide.
"Our goal was to stop the summer slide with our children," said Principal Rebecca Pittam.
Washington Elementary was one of five pilot schools in the Read Today project tutor program where dozens of trained volunteers read one-on-one with students. They continued their effort through the summer and new data shows, this inner city school is moving in the right direction.
"We were really glad to see the majority of our students were either at the same level or higher at the end of the year in at least one area of the Dibels test," Pittam said.
It is a small step, but a significant one, when you consider this: Last year as part of our Read Today initiative, we tried to stop the summer slide at Washington Elementary by giving every second and third grader a summer supply of books and other incentives. We followed their summer reading.
It cannot be a one shot, take this pill and you will read. It has to be a continuous effort.
–- Rebecca Pittam
But when test results came in, we were disappointed; they still lost ground.
Now training is underway and the one-on-one approach that showed promise at Washington can help struggling readers at 72 Utah schools.
"There are a lot of kids who need that one-on-one and our schools just can't afford to bring people in paid positions," said Dr. Gloria Skanchy, Americorps director.
These AmeriCorps volunteers will train tutors that come from a school's neighborhood. It's a model that gives hope to this new Read Today school principal.
"You have to be a better reader," said Principal Frank Schofield.
But even with an army of volunteer reading tutors, school leaders know it will take time to improve test scores.
"It cannot be a one shot, take this pill and you will read," said Pittam. " It has to be a continuous effort."
That continuous effort will get a boost in the coming days as tutors move into schools from St. George to Logan.
KSL will continue to follow this effort as data becomes available throughout the year.
Email: dwimmer@ksl.com
