United Way of Greater Chattanooga is launching a high-impact, low-ratio tutoring program for Tennessee public school students in first through eighth grade to help accelerate learning.
This program, funded by the Tennessee Department of Education, is being mobilized by United Way of Greater Chattanooga through partnerships with Hamilton County Schools, Chattanooga 2.0 and various after-school community sites.
“High-dosage tutoring is the single most powerful strategy for getting students back on track,” said Lesley Scearce, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
“It addresses learning gaps and accelerates learning through a structured approach. Tutoring programs can be difficult to coordinate – but our future leaders are worth it. I encourage you to sign up today to become a tutor and invest in the next generation of our community.”
Tutors will have the option to be compensated based on their credentials, with retired and certified teachers paid $30 per hour and college students, paraprofessionals or other community members paid $20 per hour.
The goal is to support students with 30 tutoring sessions per semester with the same tutor. Based on availability, tutors will be helping students in three, 30-minute-long sessions each week, with an additional 30 minutes of paid planning time. These sessions can be held virtually or in person during after-school hours at your convenience. Tutors will also receive virtual training and support on the curriculum.
Sonal Patel, program manager at United Way of Greater Chattanooga and former educator, has seen the value of tutoring firsthand.
“I believe you will quickly discover that working with kids will bring you immeasurable joy,” Ms. Sonal said. “Seeing a child's face light up when something finally clicks is priceless. You can help contribute to that experience by signing up to tutor today.”
To learn more about this program and how you can get involved, visit
unitedwaycha.org/tutor.