State Sup't Walters touts new tutoring program, seeks to prioritize childhood literacy

New from State Superintendent Ryan Walters:

Walters Announces Largest Tutoring Program in Nation

Top Priority is Childhood Literacy

Oklahoma City, Okla – State Superintendent Ryan Walters unveiled a comprehensive tutoring program to ensure Oklahoma students have access to quality tutoring throughout the upcoming holiday season and beyond.

“I’m proud to roll out the most far-reaching tutoring program in the country to benefit Oklahoma kids,” said Walters. “We want to leverage the power of our communities to make sure our students get the help they need to improve literacy and spark a lifelong connection between community groups and their local schools.”

The plan includes:

• Recruiting community volunteers to provide literacy tutoring to elementary schools
• 24/7 on-demand tutoring and other resources via our partners at Varsity Tutors for Schools

Beginning in January, OSDE will launch a high dosage tutoring program that pays teachers $50 per hour and includes growth incentives

OSDE is working with several large districts and districts that currently operate expanded learning grant sites to expand tutoring for students during holiday breaks and will provide a toolkit for community tutors to use with students. Several in-person and online training options will also be available.

Volunteers may click this link to submit their information.  Districts will then vet applicants and find appropriate tutoring placements.

In addition, Varsity Tutors for Schools is making statewide tutoring available to all school districts for the next two years, provided at no additional cost to taxpayers and in partnership with the OSDE. Included in the platform access is 24/7 virtual, on-demand tutoring, live enrichment classes, SAT and ACT test prep classes, and celebrity-led Star Courses. This will enable platform access for Oklahoma’s Back to Basics Plan, promoting success in the building blocks of literacy, math, science, and civics

In January, OSDE will launch a high dosage tutoring program that pays teachers $50 per hour and includes growth incentives. The focus of this program is on 4th grade students at low-performing elementary school sites, including sites with a school improvement designation. This program will last 15 weeks and provide expert-level tutoring for students from highly trained and experienced teachers.

For more information about this program, visit https://sde.ok.gov/TutoringPrograms