Building Better Readers

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In Palm Beach County, 52% of third-grade students are reading below grade level. Children learn to read in grades K-3 and read to learn beginning in grade 4. To address this, the Literacy Coalition, in partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County, developed the Building Better Readers program. We recruit, train and support community volunteers to tutor students one-on-one who struggle with reading comprehension.

 

Be a Volunteer Tutor and Help a Child Learn to Read!

     

Upcoming Building Better Readers Tutor Trainings:

Check back later for upcoming training dates.

Click Here to register as a volunteer and receive notifications regarding future trainings.

 

 Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation logo            The Mirasol Foundation, Inc logo

 

Requirements: Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Training for tutoring will be provided by the Literacy Coalition.


FREE After School Tutoring — Help your child become a reader!

The Literacy Coalition offers individual tutoring in reading comprehension for students currently in first through third grade.

When/Where: In-person, one hour a week, 3:30 — 4:30 p.m. or 4:30 — 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays or Thursdays at the Literacy Coalition, 3651 Quantum Blvd., Boynton Beach 33426.

OR

Virtual tutoring available, day and time to be determined by parents and tutors, via Zoom or Google Meet.

Click here to apply

Click here to download the flyer

 

Current volunteer tutors,  Click Here for VIC 

For more information, contact Jeanne Heavilin at (561) 767-3366 or email JHeavilin@LiteracyPBC.org

 

 

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is an equal opportunity employer/program. If you have a disability that requires special services, call us at (561) 279-9103 to ensure the availability of appropriate accommodations.


Community Impact

In Palm Beach County, 52% of third-grade students read below grade level. Children learn to read in grades K-3 and read to learn beginning in grade 4. To address this, the Literacy Coalition, in partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County, developed the Building Better Readers program. We recruit, train and support community volunteers to tutor students one-on-one who struggle with reading comprehension.

  • In 2022-2023, the Coalition provided tutoring to 328 first and second grade students that were tutored in classrooms at 28 elementary schools by 152 volunteer tutors.

  • 51 volunteers tutored 88 first through fourth grade students after school, both virtually and in-person at the Literacy Coalition.

  • Of the 416 students tutored in 2022-2023, 78% of them ended the year at least 50% closer to grade level than when they began the year and 30% actually ended the year on grade level.

Testimonials

 

Now in its ninth year, the Literacy Coalition’s Building Better Readers program has expanded to serve 416 students in 28 schools and after school throughout Palm Beach County. Still grappling with the educational impacts of the pandemic, the schools and children are so grateful for the extra support of the Literacy Coalition’s trained volunteer tutors. Every child in the program is paired one-on-one with a tutor, meeting twice a week in the classroom or once a week after school, for the entire school year. As a result of the additional instruction and perhaps most importantly, the supportive relationship with a caring adult, the children are thriving. Their skills have increased and their confidence is soaring.

 

At New Horizons Elementary in Wellington, volunteer Sheila worked with three struggling readers who started the year reading below grade level, hesitant and self-conscious in their reading. At year’s end, Sheila shared, “As we got to know each other and spent more one-on-one time together, I could see their skills, self-confidence and pride in accomplishment grow. Through stories about mice, dinosaurs, pet flies, losing teeth and more, they discovered that reading can be fun. At school year’s end all three had turned seven, grown some inches, lost at least one tooth, and were reading at or beyond grade level.”
At Westward Elementary in West Palm Beach, volunteer Bettina shared that one of her second grade students progressed from a kindergarten reading level to reading at grade level in just five months. Bettina says of her tutoring, “It’s the best part of my week.”

Kara, who tutors students in the program on Zoom after school, shared that Kyler made the A/B honor roll for the first time and another student is now proudly reading chapter books. These successes are just a few examples of the impact of the program on children across the County.