Former Governor Bill Haslam and his wife Crissy have joined with Boys & Girls Clubs to launch the Tennessee Tutoring Corps to prevent learning loss during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Haslam made the announcement on Twitter Tuesday morning. You can see the post below:
Crissy & I are excited to join Boys & Girls Clubs to launch the TN Tutoring Corps! We need 1,000 college student tutors to work with K-6th graders this summer. Visit https://t.co/zOKeYFtEjn to learn more and apply.
— Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) May 12, 2020
According to Tennessee Tutoring Corps website, the program was created “to help stave off a dramatic ‘COVID slide’ of learning loss.”
The website also stated the following about the program:
Tennessee Tutoring Corps is a unique opportunity for qualified college students to support summer learning opportunities in math and reading for Tennessee children preparing to enter kindergarten through 6th grade.
The Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation, in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs and other youth-serving organizations across the state of Tennessee, launched Tennessee Tutoring Corps with the goal of recruiting at least 1,000 qualified college tutors who are eager to give back to their community and help prevent summer learning loss among the most vulnerable students.
Recognizing that many college students are also experiencing financial strain or loss of employment and internship opportunities due to the pandemic, tutors will be compensated with a stipend of up to $1,000 for their work through the duration of the summer program.
Tennessee Tutoring Corps will connect qualified college students with children preparing to enter kindergarten through 6th grade to provide tutoring in key subjects, including math and reading.
This pilot program will assess the benefit of summer tutoring opportunities for vulnerable students, and will be evaluated for the potential to become an ongoing program in the future.
Below are some of the steps Boys & Girls Clubs are taking during the pandemic and during the course of this program:
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Facemasks are used and sometimes required to be worn by youth, staff, and volunteers. Tutors this summer are encouraged to wear masks.
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Extra cleaning of program areas throughout the day.
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Staff to child ratios are reduced to limit the number of individuals in one room at a time and to allow for social distancing.
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Youth temperatures are taken upon arrival.
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Sign-in and sign-out sheets are located outside the facility.
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Deliveries to the Club are dropped off outside the facility.
To become a tutor, college students must pass a background check and confirm their current enrollment in a postsecondary institution. Preference will be given to applicants who have a 3.0 GPA or higher, reside in Tennessee, and are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors in college.
Visit www.tntutoringcorps.org to learn more and apply.