Model and Strategy
Based in Oakland, Reading Partners is a nationally recognized, evidence-based literacy intervention program that serves elementary school students in under-resourced communities, helping them build foundational reading skills that are essential for future academic success.
Individualized instruction is at the heart of Reading Partners’ model. Each student is assessed and matched with a trained community volunteer who delivers personalized lessons twice weekly using a structured, phonics-based curriculum that is aligned with common core standards and tailored to a student’s current skill level and learning pace. For K–2 students, the focus is on foundational skills such as phonemic awareness and decoding; for grades 3–4, tutoring shifts toward fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
“On the first day of tutoring, when it was time for her to read, she put her head down and said, ‘I don’t read very well.’ I explained to her that she and I were a team, and I was there to help her become an excellent reader. Four months down the road, when I was about to begin reading to her, she said, ‘Can I read please?’ I smiled and my heart warmed at how far she had come in her ability and self-confidence. I was so proud. We alternated reading pages to each other.” — Dorothy Hutchinson, tutor at Fruitvale Reading Center
Reading Partners offers both in-person and online tutoring through its RP Connects platform. Launched during the pandemic, RP Connects has become a permanent addition to the model, enabling the organization to grow its reach in high-need areas like San Jose’s Alum Rock Union School District and San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley—where physical space and staff bandwidth are limited—while maintaining impact through high-quality remote instruction. These expansions are especially timely as many local districts face school closures and staff reductions that threaten existing literacy supports.
Family partnership is another core strategy. Caregivers receive quarterly literacy activity packets in English and Spanish, and students take home thousands of free books annually through the Take Reading With You program—building home libraries and extending literacy learning beyond the classroom.
Reading Partners is also investing in curriculum. Through Cover to Cover, a new and growing series of decodable books written and illustrated by the organization’s literacy team, Reading Partners is creating culturally affirming, identity-affirming texts for use in tutoring sessions. These original stories reflect the diverse lived experiences of Reading Partners students, helping them see themselves in the stories they read and fostering deeper engagement and belonging.
Looking ahead, Reading Partners is focused on three strategic priorities: (1) expanding its reach using RP Connects and AI-powered curriculum enhancements; (2) supporting schools through district-level changes and budget challenges; and (3) building a robust, representative volunteer base through creative recruitment strategies, including partnerships with local colleges and community-based organizations. By 2027, the organization aims to serve over 1,200 Bay Area students annually, with at least 750 trained volunteers delivering consistent, high-impact tutoring across 20+ school sites.
Impact
Reading Partners is a proven solution to one of the most pressing challenges in education: ensuring that all children become strong, confident readers. In the 2023-24 school year, Reading Partners Bay Area served 537 students across 17 schools, delivering more than 14,000 individualized tutoring sessions. On average, students received 26 sessions over the year; 81% of K-2 students mastered key foundational skills and 76% of all students met or exceeded their primary end-of-year literacy growth goals.
These outcomes are even more impressive given that students enter the program between six months and 2.5 years behind grade-level reading benchmarks. By doubling their learning pace, Reading Partners helps students close these gaps while building confidence and classroom engagement. Teachers report that 70% of students improved in behaviors such as homework completion and class participation.
Reading Partners also works to ensure that students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Its Cover to Cover series of original, inclusive children’s books brings diverse identities and experiences into literacy instruction, supporting both mirrors and windows for young readers. The Take Reading With You program distributed nearly 12,000 free books last year, helping students build home libraries that foster independent reading habits.
The organization’s impact extends beyond students. In the 2023-24 school year, 608 volunteer tutors were trained and supported, with 90% reporting high satisfaction. Thirty-seven percent of tutors identified as people of color, a figure Reading Partners is actively working to grow in alignment with its racial equity goals. Volunteers consistently report that tutoring is not only rewarding but transformative—for themselves and their students.
Reading Partners measures success using a robust data and evaluation framework. It uses a combination of standardized assessments, stakeholder surveys, and implementation metrics to monitor progress and continuously refine programming. The organization also actively participates in cross-sector coalitions, such as the San Francisco Literacy Coalition and Oakland Literacy Coalition, to drive citywide improvements in early literacy outcomes.
As it looks to the future, Reading Partners Bay Area is focused on growing its reach to 1,200 students across 22 sites, increasing tutor retention, and continuing to innovate its hybrid model to serve more students equitably and effectively. The program is already showing what is possible when students are supported with evidence-based instruction, committed volunteers, and a deep belief in every child’s potential.
Leadership
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Hector Salazar, M.Ed.
Executive Director, SF Bay Area