Milwaukee students gain reading confidence through Forward Scholars tutor program

This year the program is at seven MPS schools with 180 students.

Sarah McGrew - TMJ4 10/04/2023

MILWAUKEE — Keefe Avenue Elementary 3rd grader Kaleb looks forward to Tuesday mornings. It's one of two days a week he gets to spend a part of his school day reading with Ms. Sue.

"She's helping me," Kaleb said of Ms. Sue. "From these last three weeks, I think I'm better at reading now. I'm sounding more words out."

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Sue Anderson is one of several volunteer tutors with Forward Scholars, an initiative from the local non-profit Common Ground.

"He has a lot of enthusiasm for wanting to be ready. He really wants to be a better reader," Anderson said.

The program started last year at five Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) with 135 students. This year the program is at seven MPS schools with 180 students.

"We started because we wanted to make sure that kids are reading by the end of third grade. Because if they're reading by the end of third grade, then they're more likely able to graduate from high school," said Forward Scholars Executive Director Carrie Streiff-Stuessy.

Data from Kids Count shows that just 32% of fourth graders in the U.S. are proficient in reading. For students of color, the numbers are worse. 20% or less of Black, Latino, and Native American students are proficient in reading.

"We are directly addressing the, what I'm going to call the opportunity gap because the achievement gap is happening because of an opportunity gap," Streiff-Stuessy said. "We really want to make sure we're providing the opportunity for our students of color, that they have the instruction they need to succeed."

Streiff-Stuessy shared that during the inaugural year, students in the program showed over a year and a half improvement in their reading level.

That growth brings a smile to volunteer tutor Janice Shands.

"These kids are so smart," she shared. "Just seeing their excitement to read a book and comprehend that book."

Forward scholars also said having a strong reading foundation ensures kids are able to access knowledge throughout their lives.

"Math is important, science is important, social studies is important, health, they're all critical. But you can't access any of those if you can't read," Streiff-Stuessy said.

For Kaleb, reading is now more than just a tool for life. It's something he enjoys.

"When they come over to see me read, I feel like I'm doing it!" Kaleb said.

If you want to be a volunteer tutor you can email Streiff-Stuessy at carriess@forwardscholars.org.