Building partnerships through work-study
Abstract
Chapter Five of the book On the Road to Reading, introduces the practices of collaborating with universities and colleges to mobilize college students as volunteer tutors for the America Reads Challenge and using federal work-study funds to compensate students. Specific details about including work-study students are shared.
Issue
The Challenge of America Reads was not only to have every child read by third grade, but to form partnerships and tap community resources to assist in this effort and meet the national goal. Communities responded by mobilizing local resources on a grand scale, and they experienced great success in garnering support from institutions of higher education.
Action
One effective practice, among many as a consequence of the America Reads Challenge, is the use of federal work study (FWS) students to serve as literacy tutors in local schools and community-based programs. Newly-expanded work study opportunities enabled local America Reads initiatives to tap into a large pool of capable and flexible volunteers to serve preschool and elementary children as literacy tutors. At the same time, the broadened scope of allowable activities under the FWS guidelines allowed students to participate in community service while financing a college education.
Specifics include:
- Federal work study requirements provide that institutions must spend at least seven percent of federal dollars to support FWS to compensate students employed in community service.
- Community service is broadly defined and includes child care, Head Start, recreational mentoring, literacy training, and educational tutoring.
- The Secretary of Education has provided for a waiver of the FWS 25 percent matching requirement, effective July 1, 1997, allowing 100 percent of the wages of a work-study tutor to be paid from Federal dollars, if the student (1) is employed as a reading tutor for children who are in preschool through elementary school, and (2) is employed by the institution itself, or by a Federal, State or local public agency, or by a private nonprofit organization.
Be aware that using FWS students can increase some administrative duties for the participating America Reads program. However, it appears that it is worth the effort.
Context
Community partnerships that support literacy development must bring together committed individuals representing different critical areas of expertise, experience, and knowledge about children, reading, education, and the community. The stakeholders include families, tutors, child care programs, public schools, businesses, family literacy programs such as Head Start and Even Start, and community agencies concerned with literacy. The America Reads Challenge encourages these stakeholders to combine their resources to reach a single critical goal — ensuring that all children can read well and independently by the third grade. Each community can build on the collective strengths of its citizens and institutions to implement a literacy development program that is tailored to address the reading needs of young children.
Citation
Koralek, Derry, and Ray Collins. "Building Community Partnerships." Chapter Five in On the Road to Reading: A Guide for Community Partners. Vienna, VA: Collins Management Consulting, Inc., 1997.
Outcome
As noted in the Federal Work Study Resource Guide, there are additional advantages to working with work study students, such as:
- Allowing work study students to become AmeriCorps members (these circumstances vary however)
- Forming work study partnerships with Head Start, child care programs, and local school districts
- Implementing service-learning programs at the college or university based on the reading, tutoring, or other community service outreach opportunities
Posted On
May 20, 2008For More Information
Resources
From The Resource Center library:
On the Road to Reading: A Guide for Community Partners
Item number: R0687
The section "Collaborating with Work-Study Programs" is based on the following Federal Work-Study (FWS) Guide. It is available through the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Library as a series of links.
McAdam, Marilyn and Ed McDermott. Expanding Federal Work-Study and Community Service Opportunities. Washington: United States Department of Education, May 1997. Available via phone at 1-800-USA-LEARN.
Also see: America Reads: Principles and Key Components. [PDF, 213 KB]
