Students who are strong readers by the end of third grade are positioned to be strong learners for the rest of their lives. But in Iowa, only 35 percent of students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. Together, we can change this! The amazing thing about Reading Corps is that we train ordinary people to make an incredible impact as tutors. Apply to Become a Tutor!
As part of Reading Corps you’ll spend your days helping students improve the skills they need to succeed. We'll train you to use scripted activities that are proven to help students build their skills and you can choose to serve part-time or full-time at a school near you. Every day, you'll spend 20 minutes with each student who needs extra support. You'll see the same students every day and that means kids receive 100 minutes of tutoring every week.
That extra practice and skill building pays off!
After a single semester, the average kindergarten student in Reading Corps performs twice as well as their peers, and elementary students who receive support from Reading Corps are three times less likely to be referred for special education!
Appanoose County
Clinton County
Jasper County
Johnson County
Mahaska County
Scott County
Story County
Woodbury County
With your help, we can give kids more — more opportunities, more success and more confidence.
Reading Corps takes everyday people and trains them to be great tutors. Anyone can become a tutor as long as they have a passion to make a difference — and meet the following minimum qualifications.
Dependable, with a history of good attendance.
Able to understand and follow instructions.
Open to making improvements based on feedback.
Capable of setting a pace and maintaining a schedule with students.
Competent with basic computer skills (like email and navigating websites).
Fluent in English for speaking, reading, and writing.
18 years of age or older with a high school diploma or equivalent.
A citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States.*
Able to successfully complete a background check.
*Applicants who have received deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) are not eligible to serve as AmeriCorps members at this time.
Tutors serve 25-35 hours per week while school is in session. Because students are counting on you, you'll have a consistent schedule and attendance is really important.
Tutors begin their service on September 3, 2024 and serve through the end of the school year.
Tutors earn a stipend every two weeks based on their total hours commitment.
1200 hours — $18,000 annually
900 hours — $12,000 annually
675 hours — $9,000 annually
This stipend is taxed as income and members complete a W-4.
Full-time tutors are eligible to enroll in health insurance with 100% of the premium paid. The plan is managed through Cigna and includes medical coverage for individual members.
Child care assistance is available and will be based on family size and income. Visit the GAP AmeriCorps website for additional details.
After their service is complete, tutors receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that can be used for tuition or student loans.
1200 hours — $5,167
900 hours — $3,697
675 hours — $2,817
If a member is making payments to a federally-backed education loan, payments can be put into forbearance during their service. Upon successful completion of the program, the accrued interest will be paid by the National Service Trust. Learn more about loan forbearance in the FAQs on the AmeriCorps website.
Are you interested in bringing Reading Corps to your school in Iowa? We’d love to work with you to help more K-3 students succeed with reading! Contact Becca Eastman for more information.
About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nation's most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at www.americorps.gov.
About Reading Corps
Reading Corps is an evidence-based AmeriCorps program dedicated to helping all children become strong readers. Tutors placed in local schools, work in pairs or one-on-one with students to help improve their skills. Rigorous third-party evaluation has consistently shown that students in Reading Corps make greater gains and faster progress. Building on success in Minnesota, the program is replicated nationally in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more at readingandmath.org.
Reading Corps will not discriminate for or against any AmeriCorps service member or applicant on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, familial status, military service, or any other category protected by law. Reasonable accommodations provided upon request.