In brief
Key leaders: Katherine Bassett, CEO, below.
Origin
NJ Tutoring Corps was initially established as a public-private tutoring partnership by first lady Tammy Murphy and anchor institutions such as the Overdeck Foundation, the Community Foundation of New Jersey, the Tepper Foundation, New Jersey Children’s Foundation, the Prudential Foundation and the Debra and Kenneth Caplan Foundation. It was seen as a needed corrective response to the state’s dramatic learning gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. In addition, the creation of NJTC provided New Jersey with a statewide focal point to promote and provide tutoring for all public school districts.
Mission
The New Jersey Tutoring Corps is a group of committed, visionary educators devoted to growing young minds and strengthening teaching and learning through high-dosage tutoring experiences, while growing an educator pipeline.
Vision
For every young scholar to have access to the academic and social/emotional support that they need in order to be successful learners.
Goals
Continue to advocate for tutoring across the Garden State and establish tutoring centers in any public school district that needs it.
Programs
NJTC co-designs tutoring programs with schools and districts, ensuring that its research-based, evidence-rich program specifically meets the needs of individual partners. NJTC staff members provide responsive, personalized, hands-on instruction aligned to New Jersey state standards. School partners co-design each implementation. Tutors are often embedded throughout classrooms during the school day and receive support from instructional coaches and site coordinators. Tutors may also serve scholars in 30- to 60-minute sessions after school three times per week. The program strives to provide a 1:1 up to 1:3 tutor-to-scholar ratio for each tutoring session, with sessions held two to three times weekly for 30 to 60 minutes with the same tutor working with the same scholars throughout a program cycle.
Benefactors
The Overdeck Foundation, the Community Foundation of New Jersey, the Tepper Foundation, New Jersey Children’s Foundation, the Prudential Foundation and the Debra and Kenneth Caplan Foundation.
Fundraising
During the last budget cycle, state Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) and Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal (D-Ocean Twp.) led the effort to prioritize funding for NJTC in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, enabling the massive scale of statewide tutoring to grow during the summer months and this school year.
Achievements
In just one year, NJTC has grown from 19 locations in five counties to 79 locations in 18 counties. Its staff has increased from 70 tutors to almost 300, while its service has expanded from less than 500 scholars to over 3,600.
Conversation Starter
For more information go to njtutoringcorps.org, or please contact Matthew Frankel, MDF Strategies, at Matthew@MDFStragies.com or call 917-617-7914.
