NEW JERSEY TUTORING CORPS ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF 71 TUTORING CENTERS IN 2024 THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN STATE 

Public-Private Partnership Scales Now Providing High-Impact Tutoring to Over 3000 New Jersey Scholars this School Year

[New Jersey – March 25, 2024]—The New Jersey Tutoring Corps, Inc. (NJTC) announced today the organization’s final anticipated service numbers for the 2023-24 school year, with 71 NJTC tutoring centers now opened throughout the Garden State, currently providing high-impact tutoring to over 3000 student scholars in 18 of 21 counties statewide. Last September, NJTC provided initial numbers for the school year, citing 41 school locations and an estimated 1300 students statewide.  This number has since dramatically increased upon the release of funds from the New Jersey High Impact Tutoring Grant, which recently concluded its appropriation.

Now in its first full year of service, the newly created public-private tutoring partnership was initially established 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, as a needed corrective response to the state’s dramatic learning gaps exacerbated by the pandemic.   During the last budget cycle, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal led the fight to prioritize funding for NJTC in the FY24 budget, enabling the massive scale of statewide tutoring to grow during this school year.

“This has been a mammoth undertaking in just one year,” stated Katherine Bassett, President and CEO of NJTC. “By working in partnership with the Murphy Administration and school leaders across the state, we have developed a foundation that could serve our communities for years to come. Clearly, there was a deep sense of urgency from all involved in this achievement. I want to specifically single out the tireless work of NJTC’s internal and field staff, which serve communities throughout the state—trainers, administration, site coordinators, instructional coaches, and tutors.  We simply have not stopped.  This effort can be classified as nothing less than a massive rapid-response effort.  We have been all hands on deck for over a year to implement this needed program and will remain committed to ensuring every child receives the strongest public education possible.”

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, and 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.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to NJTC for their invaluable partnership in developing a tutoring model tailored to meet the diverse needs of our students throughout the school day,” stated Katie Agresta, Elementary Curriculum Director, Lindenwold Public Schools. “They have consistently demonstrated professionalism and a strong commitment to our shared objectives. Their seamless integration into the classroom environment, working closely with our teachers, has facilitated a cohesive approach to student support. We greatly appreciate their dedication and the positive impact they have had on our educational initiatives.”

“Our collaboration with NJTC has been nothing short of exceptional, providing invaluable support for our students in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA),” stated Bobbi Behnke, Director of Curriculum Maple Shade BOE.  “From the outset, it was evident that the team at NJTC was dedicated to fostering academic growth and success among our students. Their professionalism and commitment to excellence have been unwavering throughout our partnership. They have consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the educational needs of elementary students, tailoring their approach to meet the unique learning styles of each individual.  The tutors have also proven to be exceptional mentors, providing not only academic support but also invaluable guidance and encouragement to our students. In a very short time, they have built meaningful connections with each child, fostering a sense of trust and confidence that is essential for effective learning.  As a result of our partnership, we have witnessed improvements in student performance and confidence levels in both math and ELA. The personalized approach to tutoring, coupled with the support from NJTC and our site manager and instructional coach, has undoubtedly contributed to these positive outcomes. From designing an implementation plan, providing trained in-person tutors, being flexible in scheduling and tutoring space, working with our classroom teachers, and being responsive to our school’s needs, NJTC has surpassed our expectations.”