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Over 1,500 college students in Memphis-Shelby County Colleges may lose entry to focused in-school literacy tutoring this yr as native nonprofit Literacy Mid-South faces ongoing finances challenges.
The nonprofit’s federal COVID reduction funding expired in Might, leaving its funds in flux like many different organizations nationwide. And in June, the Memphis-Shelby County faculty board determined to not embody Literacy Mid-South on this yr’s finances.
The total influence for MSCS college students stays unknown with the beginning of the college yr solely days away on Aug. 4. Memphis-Shelby County board members nonetheless haven’t responded to the nonprofit’s revised proposal through which Literacy Mid-South would tutor 500 college students for a fraction of the unique value, CEO John Nichols instructed Chalkbeat.
It’s been over a month since Nichols made that provide.
“Whereas we aren’t actively partnering with Memphis-Shelby County Colleges … right now, we stay deeply dedicated to supporting pupil studying throughout the area and are persevering with to discover methods to collaborate sooner or later,” Nichols stated in an announcement Thursday.
Since 2022, Literacy Mid-South has supplied tutoring for MSCS college students throughout faculty hours utilizing $9.6 million of pandemic reduction funding.
It’s unclear whether or not MSCS presents or will supply some other tutoring applications throughout the faculty day. District officers didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark.
In an interview with Chalkbeat earlier in July, Nichols stated the in-school schedule permits Literacy Mid-South to succeed in extra college students. Simply over 29% of MSCS elementary college students handed state studying assessments final yr, which means the bulk are required by Tennessee legislation to be both held again or obtain further tutorial assist.
“There are such a lot of elements at play with earlier than and after faculty tutoring,” he stated. “Transportation is a large problem for our college students, in addition to after faculty actions and parental schedules. You’re assured protected tutorial time with this mannequin.”
This previous yr, Literacy Mid-South partnered with 18 MSCS faculties to serve round 1,700 elementary college students. Nichols stated he initially requested $2.5 million from the college board in January for the 2025-26 faculty yr to keep up that degree of involvement, with federal cash not accessible.
However district officers have stated that ask is unreasonable. Board Member Natalie McKinney instructed Chalkbeat in early July that she voted to disclaim the nonprofit’s preliminary proposal in June as a result of she needs extra information displaying Literacy Mid-South’s mannequin is “finest follow” for bettering pupil outcomes.
“If that is the perfect follow, then we must be using it in a means that’s sustainable,” McKinney instructed Chalkbeat. “What we can’t do is say that we’re going to spend $2 million on 1,000 college students. I don’t know find out how to justify that.”
However earlier than these feedback, Nichols had already come again to the board in late June with a request for $650,000 to tutor 500 college students. He hoped for a solution earlier than coaching for this yr’s tutors begins in mid-August.
Final yr, the nonprofit reported that its college students improved their scores from fall to winter by a median of 5.9 proportion factors on a web based evaluation utilized by the district known as iReady. The yr earlier than, that determine was 7.5 proportion factors from the start to finish of the college yr.
Nichols stated he acknowledges the necessity for a extra strong examine of this system. The nonprofit secured a federal grant this yr to collect that information. But it surely wants a bunch of at the least 1,000 college students to meet the phrases of the grant.
Nichols stated Literacy Mid-South is increasing its partnerships with close by constitution faculties to fill the hole. Final yr, the nonprofit labored with six native charters. This yr, Nichols stated, 9 constitution faculties and one public faculty in Millington fill the group’s roster.
“We’re presently fascinated by, is there a means that we may make the most of faculty workers to sort of observe, and supply a ‘practice the coach’ mannequin, to make sure that literacy tutoring is occurring in a homegrown means within the district,” he added.
Even when Literacy Mid-South ultimately secures funding from MSCS, Nichols stated he worries concerning the “lack of momentum” in studying progress for the scholars Literacy Mid-South wouldn’t attain in its more-limited tutoring plan.
“I additionally assume one of many value-adds of our program is that it did unlock capability for lecturers,” he stated. “It actually helped elevate and strengthen what was taking place of their lecture rooms.”
Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Colleges for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Attain Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
