CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A community children’s literacy initiative is expanding a tutoring program to more Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools this school year.

Last school year, Read Charlotte volunteers tutored 155 CMS third graders at 10 elementary schools.

Volunteers used an evidence-based reading fluency program called Helping Early Literacy with Practice Strategies, or HELPS, developed by North Carolina State University John Begeny.

Each student receives three 20-minute tutoring sessions per week. 

According to Read Charlotte Executive Director Munro Richardson in 2018, 45 percent of third graders in CMS started the school year with a second-grade reading level.

However, he said the children who had at least 50 HELPS fluency tutoring sessions throughout the year closed 75 percent of this gap.

This school year, the program wants to provide that number of sessions to second and third graders at more than a dozen schools.

“The number one thing we need right now are more volunteers. Where we felt short last year was being able to have enough volunteers to give children enough tutoring sessions and we are really hoping the community will step up and meet the needs of the 300 plus students we’ll serve this school year,” Richardson said.

According to Read Charlotte, reading at third grade level is a critical predictor of school, career and life success.

Bank of America Executive on Loan at Read Charlotte Steve Goodman who also volunteers for the program said it was gratifying to see the three children he tutored make strides last year.

“We know that their future is bright 10 years out, 20 years out and that’s what so amazing: Making the impact now but knowing it’s going to have a huge difference in their life,” Goodman said.

Reedy Creek Elementary fourth-grader Raquel White who was able to master her reading fluency after a few sessions said they were helpful.

She also said she enjoys reading.

“I like that it makes me smarter,” White said.

The goal of the program is to have 80 percent of third graders reading at grade level by 2025.

If you are interested in volunteering, click here.