New tutoring program for Charlotte students will extend the classroom
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has launched a tutoring initiative that aims to support students whose learning was significantly disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district is searching for partners nationwide to provide tutoring and extra academic support services for students, CMS announced Friday. School leaders want to build a network of organizations that will serve as extensions of in-class instruction. Support will be tailored to individual student needs and include programs for before and after school, as well as over weekends and the summer.
“It is clear that we must intervene now to improve outcomes for many of our students, especially those from traditionally underserved racial and socioeconomic backgrounds,” Superintendent Earnest Winston said in a news release. “Gaps in student achievement that existed before the pandemic have grown wider, and they will not narrow without expanding learning opportunities and support beyond the time students are with our teachers and staff in classrooms during the school week.”
CMS is investing upward of $50 million from federal COVID-19 relief money to build the student support network. Programs will begin as soon as January and last through the 2023-24 school year.
“Teachers and school staff are challenged like never before,” said Frank Barnes, CMS chief accountability officer. “They are rising to that challenge, but we see a clear need for bench strength to provide additional support for students and families during a period of prolonged disruption to traditional public education.”
Winston said the undertaking to secure support from outside agencies and organizations is necessary to turn the tide for CMS students.
“Students entered this school year in a different place than pre-pandemic from a social and emotional standpoint, a home and community life standpoint and an educational standpoint,” Barnes said. “Every individual student must be provided opportunity to reach his or her potential, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to address disrupted learning.”
Barnes said the district is “casting a wide net.”
CMS test scores
A majority of CMS students failed state exams for the 2020-21 academic year, according to results released in September. Yet CMS students only slightly trailed others statewide on the reading, math and science scores. The new state test results show that only 45.4% of students statewide passed state reading, math and science exams during the 2020-21 school year.
In CMS, 44.6% of students in all subjects passed the exams.
District officials said as approved partners begin offering services in January, CMS will engage the community in a grassroots communications effort to encourage families to participate.
“First we must develop the network of support systems,” Barnes said. “Then it becomes critical for CMS and community partners to engage families because the only way our community will see results from this initiative is with widespread student participation.”
Qualified organizations interested in becoming a part of the effort can access CMS’ Request For Proposals, available on North Carolina’s online state purchasing system www.ips.state.nc.us.
This story was originally published October 18, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
