The University of Notre Dame has received a $640,108 grant from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. This funding, provided through the Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF), is part of a total award of $1,001,812, with 63.895 percent financed by federal sources and 36.105 percent by nongovernmental sources. The grant will support the capacity-building efforts of Tutor-ND, Notre Dame’s learning design hub that connects tutors with cognitive science and evidence-based tutoring practices.
Through this grant, Tutor-ND will collaborate with schools and community organizations to recruit, train and support 500 volunteers who will serve preK-8 students from diverse backgrounds. These volunteers will work in the greater South Bend region and in schools and after-school programs across the country, including those partnered with the Alliance for Catholic Education.
AmeriCorps provides support to community organizations to help them to alleviate poverty, expand capacity in organizations and build economic opportunity through community-driven efforts across the country. Volunteer Generation Fund grants are used to strengthen community-based entities’ ability to recruit, manage and support skilled volunteers. At a time of social need, when Americans of all ages are looking for ways to give back, AmeriCorps seeks to fund effective approaches that strengthen the capacity and impact of volunteers and invest in innovative volunteer management practices.
“This new funding allows us to support volunteer tutors through learning design teams,” said Michelle Luna, assistant research professor and managing director of Tutor-ND. “These teams start with evidence-based programs and practices and draw on the expertise of teachers, principals, cognitive scientists, clinical psychologists and teacher educators to continuously improve tutoring. It’s a triple win: expanding access to high-impact tutoring, making scientific discoveries that enhance the quality of the tutoring programs, and addressing workforce readiness by providing apprenticeships for future leaders in education and science.”
Kati Macaluso, director of the ACE Teaching Fellows Master of Education program at Notre Dame, emphasized the benefits for aspiring teachers. “We’re blessed to have a program that brings volunteer tutors, many of whom are aspiring teachers, face-to-face with students, allowing them to immerse themselves in the relationship building, evidence-based practices, planning and preparation vital for fostering growth in literacy and math.”
One notable example of the impact of AmeriCorps VGF funding is Darden Elementary, a Title I school in South Bend. Over the past three years, Darden has focused on ensuring its students achieve reading proficiency by third grade, aligning with Indiana’s new reading law. By implementing several improvement strategies, including high-impact tutoring, Darden’s third-graders achieved a 76.2 percent pass rate on IREAD-3 last year, up from 62.4 percent in 2022, significantly outpacing both the district’s and the state’s average growth during this period.
Darden’s principal, Patty Karban, expressed her gratitude: “I love South Bend students and know they are our future. Thanks to the support provided by Notre Dame’s AmeriCorps VGF grant, our students are making great gains and building bright futures. Each student has formed a lasting connection with their tutor, and many can now see themselves attending college.”
Originally published at ace.nd.edu.
