Fact Sheet

Dyslexia Tutoring Program 

2008 Fact Sheet

Mission Statement and Organizational History

• Dyslexia Tutoring Program’s mission is to teach low-income children and adults with dyslexia or a language-based learning difference to read.  This is accomplished through free professional screening and free one-on-one tutoring by volunteers whom we have trained in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading, writing, and spelling.

• The organization was incorporated in 1985 as the Maryland Associates for Dyslexic Adults and Youth (MADAY) and changed its name to Dyslexia Tutoring Program (DTP) in 2000.  The original purpose of the organization was to provide free tutoring to incarcerated young men who suffered from dyslexia.  MADAY then broadened its original scope and mission and began offering its free tutoring services to any low-income child or adult in the Baltimore area who suffered with dyslexia or another language-based learning difference and met pre-established income guidelines.  DTP now serves over 250 low-income children and adults with dyslexia from Baltimore City and the surrounding counties.

What’s New in 2008...?

Summer Camp Program

• The Summer Camp Program experience is one of Dyslexia Tutoring Program’s most exciting aspects.  The program began in 2003 with the support of a two-year grant from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.  The program has grown from sending four children to camp in 2003 to sending 71 children in 2007 because of the strong partnerships DTP has developed with Jemicy, Odyssey and the Gow School.  DTP hopes to send at least 81 children to camp in 2008.

• Dyslexia Tutoring Program has completed a statistical analysis of the Summer Camp Program.  At the end of Summer 2007, Dr. Shawn Hales concluded that students showed a statistically significantly improvement in their reading, writing, and spelling skills after attending camp.  Results were based on pre and post-test scores from the camps and from the tests performed by DTP psychologists. 

• In Fall 2007, Marcy K. Kolodny, CEO of DTP, met with the Head Masters of the Jemicy and Odyssey schools, and a DTP psychologist to determine a unified pre and post-test that will be taken by students at both camps in 2008.  The testing will establish benchmarks for each child, such as the number of sight words known before and after the camp experience.  These benchmarks will be easy for funders to understand in camp reports.  The unified testing at both camps will increase our understanding of student performance through Dr. Hale’s analysis in 2008.  In addition, the group decided that there will be a subjective questionnaire completed by all students in the Summer Camp Program.  Following the camp program, camp tutors meet with the DTP tutors to bring them up to date on their student’s progress and let them know where to begin tutoring in the fall.

• The purpose of the Summer Camp Program is to provide DTP students with the opportunity to increase their reading, spelling, and writing skills in a short period of time.  DTP’s Summer Camp Program sends students to camps at The Jemicy School, Odyssey School, and the Gow School in Buffalo NY, which are private schools for dyslexic children. At camp, DTP students improve their self-esteem and social skills, and experience the fun of summer camp. The children receive four hours of one-on-one and small group instruction in the areas of reading, oral and written language, and math five days a week for five weeks.  In the afternoons, they participate in all of the extracurricular camp activities. Each camp includes computer classes, math instruction, and art classes.  Each camp has a different theme each year, which is explored through writing and art projects.  As a result of DTP’s efforts to send students to these camps and the students’ success, one student has received a full scholarship to Odyssey, one to Jemicy, and one to the Lab School. 

• Currently, there are no camps for older dyslexic youth in the Baltimore area.  In response to this need, DTP is partnering with Camp Odyssey to potentially run a summer camp pilot program for older DTP students, ages 13-16, in 2008.

Saturday Morning Tutorial Program

• The Saturday Morning Tutorial Program provides small group tutoring and an educational enrichment activity from 10am-2pm on Saturday mornings at the University of Baltimore.  This program is for children who have been accepted into our program, but are waiting to be matched or re-matched with a tutor.  This experience could be the first time that these children are in a group learning environment where they do not feel “different” or “disabled”.  After a two-hour tutoring session and a brown bag lunch, the children have the opportunity to participate in an art enrichment activity. We have 3 tutors and 2 art teachers on site with the children enrolled in the program. Our tutors are professionals from the Odyssey School. The program provides a safe, encouraging, and reliable learning environment that most of these children would not have during their weekend without the Dyslexia Tutoring Program. 

Parent Support and Education Program

• For the first time, DTP is offering a new initiative to help parents and guardians through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process.  We educate and support parents through meeting preparation, letter writing, and review of their children’s educational assessments.  Our goal is to provide parents with the guidance they need to make sure their children receive their rights to special education services, which are provided through the No Child Left Behind Act. In case parents have legal needs, we have formed a partnership with one of the largest law firms in Baltimore, Whiteford, Taylor, and Preston, LLP, who will represent DTP parents at no cost.  The DTP Individual Education Plan Initiative gives parents the tools they need to help their child learn to read so they will have a chance for a brighter tomorrow.   We have assisted over 34 families through this program. 

Sponsor-a-Child

• Over the past seven years, the program has grown from 7 sponsored children to 78.  DTP’s Sponsor-a-Child program encourages donors to sponsor a child’s tutoring for $2,500 a year.  Every $2,500 donation is leveraged into $3,600 to $4,500 of free, in-kind services and pays for the cost of intake interviews, screening assessments by psychologists, tutor training and materials, and tutor support. Once DTP receives the gift, the donor is matched with a student and his or her tutor.  The sponsor receives notes from the child and tutor twice a year, which describes what their student is learning in school, their progress with tutoring, how the program has affected their self-esteem, and other special events or milestones in the child’s life.  As a result, sponsors have started writing back to their students to express their pride and encouragement.  Sponsor letters motivate their students and help to raise their self-esteem.

Maryland State Department of Education

• Dyslexia Tutoring Program receives funding from the Maryland State Department of Education’s State Aided Educational Institution (SAI) Program. 

Meeting the Need

• The reality of gangs is a dangerous and challenging part of life for many children today.  Early school failure can be a predictor of whether a child becomes involved with gangs.  Our tutors are mentors to children who are at high-risk for gang involvement.  The following quotes from University of Maryland's Public Safety Training and Technical Assistance Program illustrates the prevalence of gangs in Baltimore and the causes of gang involvement:

 

“Based on current estimates, there are approximately 170 known criminal street gangs with over 1300 members. Some of these gangs are primarily youth gangs and others more highly organize drug gangs. Youth gangs are also present in the majority of schools in Baltimore with approximately 50 in high schools and 50 in middle schools with about 1000 members.”

 

"Low achievement in elementary school contributes to low aspiration and a declining commitment to further schooling. The lack of early success in school can lead to negative labeling by teachers. These factors can lead some children to look elsewhere for belonging and success, including joining a gang."

• Though the causes of illiteracy and poor literacy are varied, The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) states that language-based learning disabilities increase the difficulty an individual has learning to read and affect between 15% and 20% of the population.  Dyslexia, one such language-based learning disability, is the most common cause of reading, writing, and spelling difficulties.

• DTP is very active in Baltimore City and County Public Schools.  We have already met with the new CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, Dr. Andres Alonso.  Dr. Alonso has seen the success of Orton-Gillingham in New York City Public Schools and is dedicated to supporting DTP’s efforts in Baltimore’s schools.  He has assigned DTP to five schools and supports DTP’s efforts to train teachers in Orton-Gillingham, screen students, and track student progress for one year at these schools.  DTP will be meeting with the principals in January. 

• In 2007, we ran our radio ad on several stations to recruit volunteer tutors, which is one of our largest challenges.  More than 1,000 individuals called in response to these ads, which filled four training classes with volunteers.  Anyone who responded to the ad will regularly receive information about upcoming courses.  In addition to recruiting tutors, the ads helped create greater awareness about Dyslexia Tutoring Program and its services.  Overall, DTP conducted 12 tutor training courses in 2007.

Standards for Excellence

• The Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations has awarded the Seal of Excellence to Dyslexia Tutoring Program once again.  DTP is one of only 62 non-profit organizations in the State of Maryland to have received this honor.  In order to earn the Standards for Excellence seal, Dyslexia Tutoring Program had to complete a thorough application process and demonstrate that it operates within the strict guidelines established by the Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations.  The Standards for Excellence program, which has proven to be a successful measure for non-profits in Maryland, is now being implemented on a national level.  In addition to the Standards for Excellence seal, DTP’s Chief Executive Officer has participated in and graduated from the Weinberg Fellows leadership program for non-profit Executive Directors. Both accomplishments add credibility to Dyslexia Tutoring Program, its services, projects, and fundraising efforts.

• Also, as a mark of the organization’s excellence in its field, many more schools are now seeking help from DTP.  The Maryland State Department of Education has recognized Dyslexia Tutoring Program by offering teachers three Continuing Professional Development credits in the areas of Language Arts and Special Education when they take the tutor training, tutor a DTP student for 60 hours and attend one DTP workshop.  The continued commitment of corporate sponsors, individual donors, and foundations is a testimonial to the superior quality of DTP’s services.

Our Students

• Dyslexia Tutoring Program serves a diverse population of students from throughout the Baltimore-metropolitan area.  DTP’s clients range in age from 6½ to over 80 years old.  Most of Dyslexia Tutoring Program’s students are from Baltimore City, although increasingly the number of children and adults from surrounding counties are also benefiting from DTP’s services.

• A psychologist screens all potential students in order to determine if they will benefit from our tutoring or if they should be referred to other agencies for help.  If the screening indicates tutoring would be beneficial, the student is assigned to a volunteer for 60 hours of weekly one-on-one sessions of one hour or more.  After completing 60 hours of tutoring, each student is reassessed to make sure DTP’s services are helping and determine their level of improvement.  On average, students increase their reading ability by one to two grade levels after 60 hours of tutoring.  Following this second assessment, most students and tutors continue to work together and develop strong relationships that benefit them both, and Dyslexia Tutoring Program encourages them to do so.

Our Volunteers

• As part of its services, Dyslexia Tutoring Program provides a free 20-hour training course in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading, writing, and spelling to those interested in tutoring DTP students.  Upon successful completion of this course, the tutor is matched with a DTP student and tutoring begins. A course instructor or an experienced tutor observes the new tutor after several tutoring sessions in order to provide suggestions, assure that the proper techniques are being used, and the necessary topics are being covered.  In addition, DTP’s mentoring program connects experienced tutors with new ones and allows tutors to shadow teachers at Jemicy, Odyssey, or Summit schools.  DTP’s Tutor Support Coordinator organizes resources for the tutors, keeps in contact with them, and organizes several tutor workshops each year.  Workshops cover topics such as lesson planning, phonemic awareness, games, and reading comprehension.  DTP also offers an advanced class for its more experienced tutors.  Every tutor must send in a monthly report sheet to DTP, documenting hours spent tutoring and material covered with the student.