Frequently Asked Questions


Purpose | Program Design | Commitment | Training | Benefits | Next Steps

Purpose

  1. What is the main goal of the program? The mission of AmeriCorps partnership is to improve literacy and reading fluency by providing tutoring for targeted students. AmeriCorps also adds value to school cultures by increasing volunteer recruitment/management as well as disaster preparedness, needs expressed by principals, teachers, and school board members countywide.
  2. Is there a real need for the program? YES! 35% of the 3rd grade students fall below or far below proficiency according to 2005 California Standards Test Scores. Parents in poor families have limited time to help. Inadequate school budgets and large class sizes continue to be barriers for reading improvement. Reading literacy improvement is the compelling need for students as determined by principals, superintendents and community board members and is Priority #1 as demonstrated by increased instructional time, focus, and need for resources.

    Conditions in the 23 school districts in Santa Barbara County show nearly one in five children (21%) live in poverty. Approximately 33% meet the Federal poverty level for Free Lunch (not Reduced) program. Approximately 29% are English Language Learners for whom there is a report of primary language other than English and have been determined to lack reading skills necessary to succeed in the school’s instructional programs. The 1/11/07 News Press reported Santa Barbara county has the highest percentage of children without health insurance in CA.
  3. What do members like most about the program? Year after year, members talk about how great it is knowing that they’re making such a difference in children’s lives. Alexis Donkin, 05/06 Member probably said it as well as anyone in a response she wrote after one of our monthly trainings reflecting on service.
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Program Design

  1. How does the AmeriCorps program work? The program works because of the dedication, enthusiasm, and generosity of our amazing members!

    41 members (31 full and 10 part-time) serve at 20 school sites in teams of 2 (or 3) tutoring low level learners at least 60 minutes a week (individually or in small groups of 2-5 students). One-to-one attention is recommended at least once a week.

    Full-time members serve 40 hours per week at school sites 5 days/week for about 8 hours/day (7 am-3 pm or 8 am-4 pm or 9 am-5 pm). Part-time members serve 22 hours a week (part-time five days/week). Full-time members also strengthen communities by increasing volunteer recruitment and management capacity for reading and other classroom and school support services. Disaster preparedness training and support will increase emergency readiness at school sites.

    Each school and member is different and the program allows for the interest and creativity of members. For instance, 05/06 member Alexis Donkin was instrumental in bringing back the after-school program at Brandon School. She recruited high school students who were able to fulfill their service commitment in this way and the next year, Jennifer Yardley continued spearheading the program.

    Alexis also noticed the impact that Family Art Night had on her targeted learners’ sense of focus, inspiration, and motivation, and paired up with another member (and 4 other AmeriCorps assistants) to produce a similar event at Santa Barbara Community Academy where over 134 parents, students, and teachers created art and new paradigms for learning together. Member Stephanie Satoorian was instrumental in Hollister School’s Reading Under the Stars and for five years, members at College Elementary School organized Reading Celebration Day as a day of service for the whole AmeriCorps team.

    The program is administered by California Volunteers and sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
  2. How many students will I serve? Often students who need help have moved around a lot. Because previous years’ programs have shown at least a 10% of attrition of the targeted learners during the year, the school’s Leadership Team (principal, site supervisor, member supervisor, and all teachers supervising members) identify a beginning of the year caseload of about 28 students for full-time members and 20 for part-time members using scores from assessments they find most valuable in identifying the most needy students. Our goal is to end the year with 25-targeted students for full-timers and 18 for part-timers.

    Of course, members often form relationships with many other students at the school – in the classroom, through school projects, or in after school programs. Because of the nature of their role as a paraprofessional within the school curriculum, often they are seen as a friendly, helpful addition to the community.
  3. What are grade levels served? Our program is K-8. Some members serve only at one grade level, others serve in a range of classrooms – depending on how the leadership team determines the students needing the most help. We ask that members not be placed in more than 4 or 5 classrooms (3 or 4 for part-timers) so that they can really develop relationships with the teachers and styles of the class cultures where they are serving. On the application form, we ask you to specify if you have grade preferences.
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Commitment

  1. What sort of commitment is necessary? The AmeriCorps commitment is for 1700 hours (900 for part-time) throughout the full school year – from our Orientation in August through the end of the school year (end of June in most districts). 1700 hours is basically 10.5 months serving 40 hours EVERY week. Because that’s often difficult in most schools that take breaks for Thanksgiving, the December holidays, spring break, etc., some members elect to serve through one term of summer school as well (in July). Members can also serve at community groups (alternative service) during school breaks to make certain that they are able to complete their full term of service and receive their education award.

    It’s important to realize that when you agree to a term of service, once you have completed 15% of your hours, we can not replace your position. So the targeted students that you were assigned will not get the help that they need. Thus, we ask all applicants to take seriously their commitment: can you truly serve the entire year?
  2. Are the hours flexible for part-time members? For schools and students, it’s usually preferable to have tutors there every day and especially in the morning. But there is some flexibility. Some members have worked out schedules where they serve three days/week (7 hours). Again, for both full and part-time members, there are options for before, during, and after school tutoring!
  3. Can I work only one half of the school year because I am starting school next semester? No. Our AmeriCorps program is for the entire school year. It’s important that these children have that consistency and in previous years, we’ve found that often the real improvement begins after about 6 or 7 months of a consistent tutoring relationship.
  4. Can I serve a second term? Absolutely! You can serve two AmeriCorps terms. Last year, three of our members completed second terms, and five signed up for a second term. Another member who had served in San Luis Obispo County several years ago is serving her second term with us. And one of our members this year hopes to serve in Arizona next year.
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Training

  1. How much do we already need to know about tutoring? Our member team is diverse. Some are fully accredited teachers with years of experience. Others have never worked in a school setting. So far, no one has ever been trained in DIBELS testing – our current method of assessing students. Our orientation and trainings take all these things into consideration. Throughout the year, in addition to world-class educators who generously train our team, members who have more experience help those with less experience learn what they need to know. The six-day orientation deals with developing tutoring skills as well as understanding school cultures and student needs, what it means to be a paraprofessional in the classroom, and how to motivate young people.
  2. Member development is supported by a 6-day orientation and 10 all-day monthly trainings throughout the county. Expert consultants train members in reading tutoring strategies, volunteer recruitment and management, disaster preparedness best practices, student needs in school cultures, and motivational techniques. Ongoing member coaching supports members throughout the year and “life after AmeriCorps” is emphasized the second half of the year.

    Each year we have a hugely successful pre-service orientation, carefully redesigned with all feedback from the previous year. Orientation goals include creating a safe space for people to ask questions and learn, setting intentions (group and personal), and creating a cohesive team and culture. California school structures are explored as well as member roles and responsibilities within those systems. Training focus is on literacy and assisting targeted students.

    To fully train and prepare tutors to move students to high levels of reading proficiency, we provide a variety of training modules throughout the year targeting key dimensions of reading instruction as identified through scientifically-based reading research and broken into the following three sections: 1. What Does the Research Tell Us? (key findings and content knowledge) 2. Research in Action (specific, sound strategies to teach and engage learners) 3. Working with Students (offering time for tutors to practice and apply strategies through small group rehearsal as well as personal reflection and planning). Each module integrates examples from the current state-adopted Reading-Language Arts programs and emphasizes phases of direct instruction as the teaching method of choice in the tutoring session.

    In additional to providing world-class trainers, SBCEO also offers us training facilities and low-cost invitations for members to attend trainings such as Dr. Ruby Payne’s Culture of Poverty workshops. Other community partners that provide training and support include school site staff, school-specific professional training, the Santa Barbara County Public Library system (and Adult Literacy Program), and the Santa Barbara American Red Cross. Personnel from SBCEO Human Resources, California EDD, the University of California Santa Barbara, and Antioch College all help provide a well-rounded picture of possibilities and requirements for teacher certification, career planning, educational and employment options for our "Life after AmeriCorps" sessions.

    For instance, we have been guests at the Community Environmental Council Watershed, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Old Mission Santa Ines and Santa Barbara, the Outdoor School, and Monty Robert’s Flag is Up Farms.

    Calls for agenda items are issued monthly so members have input and trainings truly serve the members’ needs. Additionally, each session starts with a check-in where members let the group know what is or is not working for them so that throughout the day, others with resources and answers can share the wealth of our team. Each training session incorporates reflective and group exercises to build on member and team strengths. We are careful to create a team spirit from day one – designing systems that allow our members to empower themselves and their programs.

    20% of a member’s total hours can be for training and since every member is different in terms of what they already know and what they want to learn, personal plans are designed so that these hours are used in a way that supports the member’s term of service and life after AmeriCorps! We’re fortunate that Santa Barbara City College offers one of the best adult education programs in the country, so members can choose to take advantage of weekend trainings from world-class leaders like Marshall Rosenberg, Jack Canfield, and Jean Houston as part of their training.
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Benefits

  1. What are some of the advantages of offering a year of my life as an AmeriCorps Member? Consistently, members report that watching their targeted students improve and begin succeeding at school is the highlight of the program for them. They really see that their service is making a big difference. (See the piece by Alexis!)

    Many of our members are interested in pursuing a career in education after their term of service -- some who didn’t enter AmeriCorps with this expectation. For instance, upon exit, 63% of our 05/06 team pursued the teaching profession (teaching, finishing degree or credential work, another AmeriCorps term) and report that their year of experience made a HUGE difference! A quick look at where some of our 04/05 members went: Tim Vizhum selected for Teach for America (Jaclyn O’Brien was also selected in 06/07), Reyna Meraz for the highly competitive UCSB Graduate teaching program. Daniel Lemes decided he liked serving in the school so much he used his Ed Award to get a Master’s in Education at Antioch College and is now back teaching at his AmeriCorps site: Cesar Chavez Dual Learning School. Ashley Dowse is currently using her award at Harvard Graduate School of Education's Risk and Prevention Adolescence Program. In fact our members have been so successful that Antioch University, Santa Barbara, is now offering to match education awards dollar for dollar (up to $5000) for any members interested in continuing or beginning their schooling (MA in Education, Clinical Psychology and Organizational Management or BA in Liberal Studies).

    Equally important are the members who decide that teaching is not for them. Emma Bruehlman-Senecal who offered alternative service working with youth at the Community Environmental Council’s Art from Scrap is at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana studying environmental psychology in the Natural Resource and Environmental Science Department.
  2. Is there health coverage? Yes, full-time members can receive a limited medical major insurance plan under the AmeriCorps health care policy provided by SRC (an Aetna company) at no cost. Specific questions about the plan can be addressed to Customer Service 800-788-9682.

    After you pay a $100 deductible each coverage year, the plan will pay 80% of the recognized charges incurred for covered medical expenses until your $1000 annual out of pocket maximum is reached. Once your out-of-pocket maximum has been met, the plan will pay 100% of the recognized charges incurred for covered medical expenses up to a lifetime maximum benefit of $50,000 per cause. Chiropractic services are included under spinal manipulation; prescription drugs are covered; preventative exams are covered. Exclusions and limitations apply, so always check with Customer Service.

    Coverage begins the first month of service and terminates at the end of the month in which service is completed. At that time, members can choose if they want to continue the insurance on their own.

    Part-time members do not receive insurance.
  3. Is there dental coverage? Yes, full-time members who have health coverage also receive $1500 overage/year maximum (after a $25 deductible per covered person).
  4. Is there vacation time or sick time? No! This is one of the most difficult things for many members, especially since you’re in the schools where often you are exposed to all sorts of colds and flues. Members accrue hours as they serve (or receive training). Full-time is 1700 hours and that’s 40 hours/week for 10.5 months! So when school staffs and students are closed for holidays and vacations, members need to find other places to accrue their hours. We call this alternative service and help members find sites that serve youth – YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc. Some members choose to take holidays when schools are closed so they can be with their families, and often their term of service will run through summer school at the end of the year.
  5. Is housing provided? No, it is not. And housing in Santa Barbara is very expensive, so we recommend that anyone thinking about moving here from out of state seriously consider if you can live on the modest living allowance. To check out the actual cost of rentals, we suggest you check our weekly paper The Independent and our daily paper The News Press.
  6. How do I find out about Santa Barbara County? Most of us here will tell you it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world! And the county is large and diverse. Note that our programs are in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Ynez, Orcutt, and Guadalupe (from south to north). You might want to check out these websites: one, two, three. We also provide a handout called CHEAP TIPS FOR LIVING IN SANTA BARBARA that was compiled and then edited by two of our AmeriCorps Vista Members that is quite helpful for many. And luckily can always be revised!
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Next Steps

  1. How do I apply? Download the application on the homepage of our site. Send a completed original application and TWO original copies of completed reference forms. Because this is a federal program, it is essential that we have original copies before we can sign you on.
  2. Is there an interview process? Yes! Contingent on notification that our grant is funded for next year (around May 15), we will have group interviews in both north and south counties the last week in May. A panel of principals (or school representatives) will interview small groups of applicants who pass the initial application screening. In past years, about half of our membership team is selected during these interviews.

    Over the summer, as applications arrive, they are screened in our office and then passed on to school principals. Because principals are often on vacation during the summer, this process is sometimes slower, so we do recommend that people apply as soon as possible to assure their start in our orientation early August!

    Once your application has been selected by one of our school sites, you will need a copy of your birth certificate, US Passport, or Permanent Resident Alien card AND a social security card AND a driver’s license or other photo ID. Sometimes these documents are difficult to locate in a hurry, so we like to mention it early.
  3. What if I still have questions? Please, call our office: 805-964-4710, x 4404. Also, continue checking the website. We will be offering several public programs to answer questions and give you a chance to meet with current members. We look forward to speaking with you and seeing if this opportunity is right for you!
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