2021 - 2022 A Year in review
COVID-19 exacerbated challenges in public education that have long existed in North Carolina, and the pandemic’s effects on student learning continue to be felt in classrooms across the state. NC Education Corps is filling a critical need by partnering with public school units (PSUs) – including school districts, charter schools, and UNC Lab Schools – to recruit, train, and support high-impact tutors who extend the reach of teachers and accelerate student growth.
Passionate Community Members Dedicated to Supporting Students
More than 230 North Carolinians of diverse backgrounds dedicated their time and talents to serve the students of North Carolina during the 2021-22 school year. Partner schools and districts employ NC Education Corps members to serve as high-impact early literacy tutors. Corps members implement high-impact literacy tutoring, meaning tutors:
- Connect with students one-on-one or in small groups
- Work with students at least three times per week for 30+ minutes per session
- Help K-3 students develop foundational literacy skills by focusing on targeted skills identified by school literacy leads
Meet Our Corps Members
NC Education Corps tutors come from all walks of life. During the 2021 - 2022 school year, we recruited, trained, and coached university and community college students, former and future educators, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and more to support students across the state.
After 13 years away from the classroom, Jennifer felt the call to serve.
When Marquell became a tutor, he knew his presence and support would
change lives.
With a drive to make a difference in just "one person's life," Adair found NCEC and helped students in her community
learn to read.
Of the 2021 - 2022 corps members surveyed
Identified as current or former K-12 educators
Identified as college students
Expressed intent to return for another school year
Felt like a valuable part of the school community
Early Feedback From Our Partners
“100% of the students being served demonstrated growth in reading, and 10% of them have moved from below grade level at the beginning of year to at grade level at the mid-year mark.”
- Principal Tonya McLean, South Johnson Elementary School (Scotland County Schools)
“The individual and small group work they do with our students every week has increased reading skills and the proficiency of the students they are supporting. We are thankful to be part of the NC Education Corps program.”
- Superintendent Tricia McManus, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
"My heart just explodes with this feeling of just gratitude that [my son] has been able to accomplish this much growth in this amount of time...He didn't want anything to do with a book before.”
- Lauren Piper, Granville County Schools Literacy Coordinator
Our commitment to data-driven growth
As a learning-focused organization, NC Education Corps remains committed to data-driven decision-making, beginning with understanding the impact of NCEC tutoring. To better understand the impact of our model, North Carolina Education Corps (NCEC) has partnered with evaluators from Duke University’s Social Science Research Institute and North Carolina State University’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation to conduct a three-year, mixed-methods study to explore programmatic outcomes and identify strengths and areas of improvement.
Key Questions we're exploring with our evaluation partners
How, and to what extent, does NCEC foster effective partnerships with schools to implement research-based programs that support teachers and help students thrive?
How, and to what extent, does NCEC activate untapped talent by connecting Corps Members to partner schools’ needs?
How effectively does NCEC train Corps Members for high-impact tutoring, and how can training better meet the needs of Corps Members and partner schools?
How effective are ongoing supports provided to Corps Members, and how can NCEC better support members during their NCEC engagement and in pursuit of public service careers?
To what extent does NCEC implement high-impact interventions that improve early literacy and social-emotional outcomes for students?
How can NCEC improve and grow program services to better serve public schools and children in need?
