Reading Corps and Math Corps are midway through our seventh year of supporting Georgia students through high-impact tutoring, and we want to take a moment to recognize some incredible developments coming out of the Peach State!
In collaboration with a group of distinguished education and public sector leaders, our new Advisory Board for Georgia Education Programs has gotten off to a great start. The board will regularly meet to foster growth for our programs and help ensure even more students receive high-impact tutoring. And it’s not just Georgia students who will be getting an educational boost in the coming years. Thanks to a new partnership with Georgia State University, our tutors have a new pathway to get their master’s degree, earn a teaching certificate, and get in the classroom!
Leading the Way for Greater Impact
Collaborating with our Georgia team, the new advisory board will meet quarterly to focus on expanding both Reading Corps and Math Corps to support the needs of more Georgia students. Shawonna Coleman, Executive Director of Georgia Programs, highlights the board’s unique ability to foster new relationships, growth, and stable funding.
“Through strategic partnerships and collective action, we can amplify the impact of Reading Corps and Math Corps across the state,” says Coleman. “Together, we will ensure that every student has access to the resources and support they need to succeed.”
Supporting Program Principles
The board’s first meeting took place in summer 2024 and focused on outlining roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for expansion across the state. High-impact tutoring through Reading Corps and Math Corps has been proven to help students build their skills, giving them the boost they need to succeed both in the classroom and later in life. Partnership with the advisory board is an example of what Coleman calls “collective leadership,” pulling knowledge and experience from different experts to make the biggest impact.
“Collaborating with such an experienced and accomplished group of leaders is an incredible opportunity,” she says. “Their expertise, vision, and commitment to educational excellence will help bring our programs and our students’ achievements to new heights.”
The Inaugural Board Members
- Amy Denty
Director of Literacy, Georgia Department of Education
- Brooke Humphrey
Executive Director of Curriculum, Fulton County Schools
- Caitlin Dooley
Dept. of Early Childhood and Elementary Education Chair, Georgia State University
- Freddie Powell Sims
Senator District 12, Georgia State Senate
- Irene Munn
Georgia Council on Literacy Executive Committee, The Munn Firm
- Joy Hawkins
Executive Director, The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
- Melody DeBussey
Manager, Deloitte Consulting
- Yasmine McKenzie
Director of Applied Learning and Design, Fulton County Schools
Creating More Pathways to Teaching
One of the most powerful aspects of our programs is that in addition to supporting students, Reading Corps and Math Corps help more people gain valuable experience and become educators. With the incredible support of Georgia State University (GSU), tutors in the state will have a new and simple way to combine their service with pursuit of a master’s degree and teaching certification!
Tutors in good standing who already have a bachelor’s degree can apply to GSU’s graduate program in education. If accepted, they get to choose from one of five concentrations: elementary, middle level, core-curriculum secondary education, ESOL, or world language education. As they serve, members will enroll at the university, complete their studies, receive an initial teaching license, and start work in their very own classroom!
“What makes this partnership so exciting is that more than 55% of our tutors plan on pursuing education full-time after completing their service,” says Coleman. “The new degree and certification pathway with Georgia State University is a powerful new pathway for our tutors to actualize their careers as future educators. On top of that, it will help support the education system here in Georgia.”
Building on Proven Success
Since our first members began serving in Georgia in 2018, Reading Corps and Math Corps have tutored over 10,000 students, helping them learn fundamental skills and achieve more! During that time, we have also trained more than 500 members and given them valuable in-school experience. With the support of the advisory board and our new partnership with Georgia State University, we will continue to support students and find new avenues to bolster the education system in the state for years to come. We can’t wait to see our students grow and our tutors become the next generation of teachers!
“I believe we will not only strengthen academic outcomes but also build a network to break down barriers and expand opportunities for all learners,” says Coleman. “By strengthening collaborations with educational stakeholders, we can create lasting, meaningful change in the communities we serve.”
To learn more about Reading Corps and Math Corps, and see how you can get involved, visit readingandmath.org/locations/georgia. If you have specific questions about the GSU master’s and certification program, reach out to Anita Wells at anita.wells@ampact.us.