Study: Higher literacy rates found in kids tutored by AmeriCorps

A new federal study finds higher literacy rates among Minnesota students who were tutored by AmeriCorps volunteers.

A study from the Corporation for National and Community Service shows kindergarten through 3rd grade students tutored by Minnesota Reading Corps tutors did twice as well on literacy tests than students without a tutor.

There are 1,000 Reading Corps members working in 600 sites around Minnesota.

Tutors begin working with children as young as age three, said Audrey Suker, CEO of ServeMinnesota, the group that oversees the Minnesota Reading Corps. "The earlier we can get to a child the better they are ultimately performing on the 3rd grade proficiency test and that every child has the skills to learn to read if we can get to them early enough," said Suker.

The Minnesota Reading Corps is currently working to replicate the program in six other states and the District of Columbia.