North Wasco County School District 21 passes tutoring initiative, board member resigns

District administrators outlined a process to fill Wynne-Elledge’s seat: a minimum 20-day advertising period followed by interviews and a public board vote at a future meeting. If no qualified applicants from the zone apply, district policy allows the board to consider candidates from elsewhere in the district.

Board members emphasized the importance of filling the seat quickly, noting Wynne‑Elledge’s extensive committee work and role as a liaison to student representatives.

State funds aim to boost literacy

The district learned earlier this winter that it would receive approximately $98,000 in state grant funding for high‑dosage tutoring during the current fiscal year, funding that was not anticipated when the budget was adopted.

These funds come from the Early Literacy Success Grant established in 2023 by Oregon House Bill 3198 to support age-appropriate learning toward reading in children from birth to third grade.

Since the pandemic, Oregon has consistently ranked near the bottom of the nation’s math and literacy levels, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Last year, Oregon ranked 50th in the nation for fourth grade reading levels.

The board first approved a resolution formally accepting the grant and appropriating the funds, with Director David Pohlen voting a lone “nay.” Afterward, they considered a contract with an external tutoring provider, Hey Tutor, to implement the program.

Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Allie Ivey told board members the district evaluated multiple options before selecting Hey Tutor to offer in‑person tutoring aligned with the science of reading and evidence‑based literacy practices. Many other state approved providers, she said, offer only virtual tutoring, which they ruled out.

“Research shows us that high-dosage tutoring, when done well, can really create incredible impacts and growth for our students that would not be possible otherwise,” Ivey told the board.

Under the proposed plan, four tutors would be placed in district elementary schools for up to 20 hours per week each, with Chenowith Elementary receiving two tutors and Colonel Wright and Dry Hollow each receiving one.

Tutoring would occur in very small groups, generally no more than three students per tutor, during the school day for a minimum 10‑week cycle, consistent with state grant requirements.

“High-dosage tutoring is most effective in short bursts,” Ivey said, adding that students would not be pulled from core literacy or math instruction. “This is meant to be additive. We don’t want to create dissonance with what students are already receiving in their classrooms.”

Part of Hey Tutor’s services include hiring local tutors, even though the organization is not based in the community, and that the program is designed to supplement, not replace, classroom instruction.

The contract also includes ongoing progress monitoring through an assessment dashboard accessible to teachers, administrators and district staff. Tutors would conduct baseline and consistent assessments, allowing the district to adjust instruction if students are not making expected gains.

Several board members raised questions about parent involvement, data sharing, and whether outsourcing tutoring services was the best long‑term strategy.

Ivey acknowledged that while the contract language emphasizes reporting to schools, she plans to ensure parent engagement, including progress updates, webinars and office hours.

“Families are core to early literacy work,” she said. “I want to make sure parent engagement is clearly noted in the contract, not just something we assume.”

Some board members expressed reservations about sending grant dollars to a non‑local organization, while others noted that using a contractor avoids adding permanent staff positions funded by temporary dollars.

Ivey characterized the current year as a “strategic learning year,” saying the district would use data and feedback from teachers, families and administrators to decide whether to continue the model, modify it, or bring tutoring in‑house if funding continues next year.

After discussion, the board unanimously approved the tutoring contract.