ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 The following is a presentation prepared for ILASFAA’s 2008 Conference in Springfield, IL April 16-18, 2008 America Reads/America Counts at the University of Illinois

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 America Reads/America Counts at the University of Illinois: A National Best Practice in FWS Tutoring Programs Dan Mann Director of Financial Aid University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Angie Brix Student Financial Aid Administrator America Reads/America Counts Coordinator University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Session Overview Program History Program Overview and Organization Federal Work-Study Program Structure and Operations Program Challenges/Sustainability

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program History

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program History In 1996, President Clinton issued a challenge to have 100,000 Federal Work-Study students serve as reading tutors for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. This launched the America Reads program, a literacy initiative to help children gain the ability to read independently and on grade level by the end of third grade. In Fall 1997, the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign answered the America Reads challenge by starting one of the first programs in the country.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program History In 1999 the program expanded to include America Counts, a mathematics initiative to increase the mathematical achievements of students from kindergarten through ninth grade. In Fall 1999, the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign began participation in the America Counts program.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program History The federal regulations now include tutoring as Family Literacy Programs and have expanded to include pre-kindergarten populations. Schools must use at least 7% of their FWS allocation for community service activities and have at least one reading tutoring program or family literacy project.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program History The University of Illinois decided that all undergraduate students could participate as America Reads/America Counts tutors. The University also decided that this program should be coordinated in the Office of Student Financial Aid, as opposed to the College of Education or another department.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Overview and Organization

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Organizational Chart

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Office of Student Financial Aid Oversees the day-to-day operation of the program. Identifies and awards Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds to eligible students. Recruits tutors and Graduate Coordinators. Coordinates orientation/training for tutors and Graduate Coordinators. Convenes monthly meetings of the AR/AC Advisory Committee. Processes payroll through Student Employment Office.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 AR/AC Advisory Committee Committee consists of the following members: –Office of Student Financial Aid Director Assistant Director, Student Employment America Reads/America Counts Program Coordinator –College of Education Faculty Member Academic Advisor –School District Coordinators Champaign Unit #4 Director of Curriculum & Instruction Urbana Unit #116 Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction Meets monthly to plan, review, and discuss issues related to personnel, policies and program implementation and evaluation.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 School District Coordinators Coordinate and oversee program for participating schools in district. Inform building principals and teachers about the program. Serve on advisory committee. Coordinate and pay for state criminal background checks of tutors and Graduate Coordinators. Place tutors for district. Pay 25% of Graduate Coordinators’ FWS earnings.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 School Principals/Site Liaisons Inform teachers and parents about the program. Coordinate identification of children in need of service. Supervise Graduate Coordinators. Identify work areas and procure resources for tutors. Facilitate communication between teachers, students, Graduate Coordinators, and tutors.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Teachers Identify children in need of service. Work with tutors on how best to serve individual children. Provide needed supplies and materials.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Graduate Coordinators (GC’s) Serve as liaison between tutors, teachers, principals/site liaisons, the districts and OSFA. Supervise tutors at respective sites. Develop tutoring schedules. Responsible for tutor timesheets. Tutor children, as time permits.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Tutors Attend orientation and agree to a background check. Attend mandatory General Information Session and an America Reads and America Counts training session. Provide regular tutoring for children. Communicate regularly with site contact/teachers and appropriate Graduate Coordinator.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Federal Work-Study at the University of Illinois in Urbana

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Federal Work-Study Annual FWS Allocation $2.1 million –On-Campus Student Employment –On-Campus FWS-Graduate Assistantships –America Reads/America Counts –Off-Campus Community Service University of Illinois does not participate in the Job Location and Development (JLD) program.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Federal Work-Study Pay Rates Tutors - $8.50/hr – 100% paid by FWS Graduate Coordinators - $13.50/hr – 75% paid by FWS – 25% paid by School District

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Federal Work-Study Community Service Community Service Total America Reads/America Counts$517,609 Total Other Community Service$ 96,555 Total Community Service Activities$614,164 24% of FWS funds were spent on Community Service activities in

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Structure & Operations

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Resources Staff Facilities Budget Support Collaboration

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Structure for Tutors New Tutors Recruitment Orientation Session Training Placement Orientation/Contract Scheduling Support Evaluation Returning Tutors Contract Scheduling Support Evaluation Recognition

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Structure for Graduate Coordinators Recruitment/Hiring Training Evaluation Support/Communication

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Statistics Academic Year

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Statistics During the academic year we had 407 tutors work with the program. 30 graduate students served as Graduate Coordinators.

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Tutor Gender

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Tutor Ethnicity

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Tutor Major Liberal Arts & Sciences

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Program Challenges/Sustainability

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Continuing Challenges Reduction in FWS Funding FWS Awarding Policy Graduate Coordinators Tutors Communication/Coordination (Off-campus employees)

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Keys for Continued Success Build strong relationships with Tutoring Partners (district level, site liaisons, community organizations) Graduate Coordinators (or Lead Tutor) Tutor Accountability Designated Program Coordinator at the University Level Database System Continuous Improvement Model

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Questions

ILASFAA Annual Conference April 16-18, 2008 Dan Mann Director, Office of Student Financial Aid University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Angie Brix Student Financial Aid Administrator America Reads/America Counts, Program Coordinator University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign