Reading Corps

Join the DPS Reading Corps
Help a child learn to read

The Detroit Free Press, in partnership with Detroit Public Schools, in December called for citizens to volunteer 100,000 hours collectively to tutor reading in DPS schools.

The Call to Action for a new Reading Corps comes on the heels of recent test scores that showed Detroit schoolchildren ranked the lowest in the nation of participants on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math test.

In terms of performance levels in the fourth grade in Detroit on the math test, 69 percent of students scored at a below basic level. In terms of performance levels in the eighth grade in Detroit, 77 percent were below basic.

“These scores confirm that we have a reading emergency,” said Emergency Financial Manager Robert C. Bobb. “We want people to have not just a sense of urgency after seeing these scores, but a sense of outrage over these scores. But we do not want these scores to paralyze us. On the contrary, knowing where our children are academically provides us the opportunity to strategically develop and tailor our academics to the specific needs of Detroit children. We are doing everything in our power to completely remake the academic program in Detroit Public Schools, and we are asking the community to join in the fight to ensure our children have every opportunity to be successful. Please volunteer with us and help a child learn to read.”

Bobb and the Free Press challenge the Metro-Detroit community to come together for the children of Detroit Public Schools and devote their time to tutoring in the classroom. All volunteers will receive training and must undergo a criminal background check. Each volunteer is asked to commit on average an hour a week.

Every volunteer must pass a background check before he/she can begin volunteering. Background checks will be provided at no charge to volunteers. Background checks on some volunteers will be performed at the DPS Welcome Center over the next several weeks. Once arrangements for these checks are finalized, details will be emailed to volunteers. DPS expects to have all background checks completed in four to six weeks.

We ask all volunteers to complete the Michigan Fingerprint Applicant Information Form.

More Information

• About the DPS Reading Corps: A Message from Robert Bobb
• Testimonials
• Photo Gallery
• DFCU Financial donates $10,000 to DPS Reading Corps

Frequently Asked Questions

Training

Fingerprinting and Photo IDs

Contact Information

Donate

Total Volunteers

5,632

Total Hours Volunteered

671,537

Total volunteers reflect an up-to-date actual count. Total hours volunteered is based on approximate volunteered hours per week over the course of a school year. Numbers automatically refresh every 30 seconds.