Program Spotlight: AmeriCorps Instructional Support Team

Host Organization: Butler County Board of Education

AIST AmeriCorps Program Staff: Carol McArthur, Director; Kathy Tolin, Assistant Director

County Served: Butler County

AIST AmeriCorps Description: The AmeriCorps Instructional Support Team (AIST) has successfully ensured a brighter future for the Butler County’s rural under-challenged students by focusing their effort of 20 members on school readiness and improving academic performance for Pre-K through 12th grade. This project is a single-issue area program that develops specialization in the education-school success strategic priority area.

Number of Members Serving: 20 Three Quarter-Time members

Member Responsibilities: Members will provide instructional assistance to 2,828 economically disadvantaged pre-school through 12th grade students in seven school sites of the Butler County Public School System. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for a significant change in academic performance for 2,675 pre-school through 12th grade children and youth to achieve success in school and to graduate career ready. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will leverage an additional 100 “new” non-AmeriCorps community volunteers who will provide support with Butler County students in the classroom as well as in the community.

What the program hopes to accomplish at the end of the program year: AmeriCorps members tutor students in all public pre-school, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. All public schools in Butler County are designated as Title I programs. The impact of AmeriCorps not only allows under-challenged students to be served, but also provides great community collaboration.