Last December’s newsletter featured Professor of Education Greg Fritzberg and his leadership of University Tutors for Seattle Schools (UTSS), a grant-funded program that provides academic support to public schools through the placement of undergraduate and graduate tutors from area universities.
This fall UTSS entered its third year of service. After their selection and orientation in October, 65 paid tutors began work in 17 schools, with the staff likely stabilizing around 70 tutors providing approximately 900 hours per week of student assistance by quarter’s end.
For the first time this year, 10 full-time Americorps educators are participating in the student assistance program, providing additional college exposure and preparation coaching to urban Seattle students. Their participation is secured by a grant valued at $510,690 from the National Corporation for Community Service and Washington Campus Compact.
The program is also securing permissions with the district and SPU for its first City Levy/State Learning Assistance program evaluation in 2014 at its largest grant site, Ingraham High School. Assuming successful completion of the pilot evaluation and study, UTSS will broaden to include additional schools next year.
For more information about UTSS, visit UTforSS.org, or contact Greg Fritzberg (gregf@spu.edu or gregf@UTforSS.org) or Rebecca Carlson (Rebecca@UTforSS.org). Or learn how you can support tutors and their students with a gift to the UTSS fund.