we've talked a lot about the learning loss caused by the covid-19 pandemic now we're seeing a turnaround at least in some school districts thanks to the New Jersey tutoring Corps it's a Statewide non-profit created to help in the educational recovery and as Raven Santana reports the findings show double-digit improvements mistakes and learning go hand in hand here at the Trenton Boys and Girls Club where more than 100 students are participating in New Jersey tutoring course the third year of Summer tutoring the program that is implemented in 23 different locations throughout the state was launched in the summer of 2021 to provide tutoring for pre-k through fifth grade students to address pandemic related learning loss according to a report by the New Jersey Department of Education proficiency for grade students decline by nearly nine points from Spring 2019 to Spring 2022 less than 50 percent of student students were proficient in English language arts and math only 35.4 percent of students were proficient but a report by the New Jersey tutoring Corps found that the percentage of Scholars performing at grade level and math improved from 16 to 40 percent and in literacy from 23 to 40 percent and that hard work has paid off last week it was announced that the njtc will receive the 1.5 million dollars from the fiscal year 2024 New Jersey state budget here's how the program works all of our Scholars take a diagnostic assessment what that tells us is here's where you are in your knowledge for grade level standards so um a fourth grade scholar is supposed to know these you know 20 things like zero in right on that lesson or that need and then they create fun engaging activities to make it stick Ashley binkin CEO at New Jersey teaching Corps says the program additionally helps with Statewide Staffing shortages we have tutors that range from pre-service Educators so they're pursuing teaching as a career people that have never worked in a classroom but they have educational background and experiences and then certified teachers this is a great summer job for them we pay very well High School teacher Maria Tomasetti is in her second year as an instructor with the program this is a really important opportunity for the students to maintain and or build the skills that they worked on throughout the school year we're building the kids confidence in their ability to learn and we want them to take ownership of their learning and feel enthusiastic about learning there are about four kids in each 45 minute tutoring session where students focus on math or literacy three times a week and students I spoke with say it makes learning fun when I go to tutoring Miss Maria always encourages me and helped me help help me out sometimes when sometimes I don't know she tells me to try my best make work into a game the things that I learned will help me when I get into fifth grade to let me keep on learning learning is fun if you set it up that way that's my whole classroom philosophy so I feel like it's my job to create an activity I don't even want to call it really a lesson during the summer because I wanted to have that more casual atmosphere with the students and I I want it to be something where they can see real life application for what they're doing I feel like if students see the value in what they're doing they're more apt to buy into it for NJ Spotlight news I'm breathen Santana [Music]