About the DPS Reading Corps

A message from Robert C. Bobb, Emergency Financial Manager

During December, the Detroit Free Press and I issued a Call to Action to the citizens of Detroit to support Detroit Public Schools’ children by signing on to join the DPS Volunteer Reading Corps. I am pleased to say the response has been tremendous. Over 3,900 prospective volunteers have signed on, via the DPS web site, to serve as reading tutors. 

Research shows that it is extremely difficult for a struggling reader to “catch up” if the child is unable to read by the end of third grade. For this reason, the District has identified a goal of ensuring that by 2015, all of the current pre-kindergarten students and those thereafter, will be able to read at or above grade level by the end of third grade.

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 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. 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.

Some facts about the program:

  • Volunteers are being asked to tutor at least one hour a week in a school, working with a pre-kindergarten student.
  • Volunteers will have to undergo a criminal background check, which will be conducted at no charge to volunteers.
  • Volunteers will be required to show a photo identification card, which will be provided by DPS, whenever they come to a school site.
  • We ask volunteers to commit at least one year; however, we encourage volunteers to continue to work with their designated children through subsequent grades.

Thank you for your consideration to be part of this enormous commitment to the children of Detroit.

 

DPS Reading Corps

DPS Reading Corps