ESSA TIER 1 EVIDENCE

Reading intervention that works for rural Michigan.

Section 35p has $44.4M for competitive grants in 2026-27. Let’s partner to use those funds to transform literacy outcomes in rural Michigan communities. 

Discuss Your District's Plans

Rural Schools Tutoring Coalition

Join OpenLiteracy’s 35p rural schools tutoring coalition. We understand the staffing challenges that make in-person tutoring in rural districts difficult to sustain. Our virtual model is designed specifically to meet students where they are, regardless of geography. In a recent randomized control trial studying our 1:1 virtual tutoring model, virtual tutoring got better results than in person, school-based tutoring.

What sets us apart:

  • Certified Teachers, always 1:1: Our virtual reading tutoring with certified teachers who average 15 years in the classroom. Tutoring is always scheduled as a 1:1 tutoring to maximize the individualized instruction available to students. 

  • Strong Evidence Base: ESSA Tier 1 evidence, the Stanford NSSA Tutoring Program Design Badge and Proven Tutoring. We meet all three of MDE's eligibility criteria and will be added to the MI Strategy Bank no later than Nov 2.

  • Rural Schools Experience: We're the sole provider of high impact tutoring in the entire state of Montana and we’ve learned some of the unique needs of rural schools. Tutoring reaches students wherever they are, even from home on snow days, with no new hires.

  • Accountable: 40% of our fee is tied to outcome targets we set together.

  • The coalition would bring your rural districts into one 35p application

A Proven Reading Intervention Solution

NSSA Design Badge OpenLiteracy Awarded 2024, Expires 2027

How to partner

  • Identify that you are interested in partnering with OpenLiteracy by completing our interest form

  • Meet with OpenLiteracy to discuss your district’s literacy needs

  • Sign district partnership letter by November 6, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes! OpenLiteracy is on the list of eligible providers. We are eligible because we are part of the Proven Tutoring Network, have the NSSA Design Badge, and will be added to the MI Strategy Bank no later than Nov 2.

    • Individualized, 1:1 ratio: All OpenLiteracy tutoring is delivered 1:1, one tutor and one student, every session, exceeding the 1:4 ratio requirement.

    • Intensive support: Students receive four 25-minute sessions each week, meeting the intensive support threshold.

    • Structured, evidence-based curriculum: Our reading curriculum is aligned to the UFLI scope and sequence, carries ESSA Tier 1 evidence, and includes formative progress checks built directly into sessions.

    • Trained tutors: Every tutor is a certified teacher averaging 15 years of classroom experience, supported by ongoing coaching and professional development.

    • Ongoing assessment and feedback: Weekly progress data integrates directly into MTSS, PA 146 reading plans, and MICIP, giving districts the feedback loop the program requires.

  • While 35p's default is in-person tutoring, Section 35p(5) lets MDE approve applications that reach students at lower cost by waiving tutoring elements, including through virtual programs. The tutoring partner must show evidence of impact and use an outcomes-based contract. We bring both: ESSA Tier 1 evidence, and a contract that ties 40% of our fee to outcome targets that we collaboratively decide upon. Rural districts get expert reading teachers without worrying about the staffing challenges in rural Michigan.

  • The research is clear: virtual tutoring works. In a randomized controlled trial studying OpenLiteracy’s model, students who received 1:1 virtual tutoring outperformed students who received in-person small group instruction. This finding aligns with a growing body of evidence confirming that what makes tutoring effective, including qualified tutors, consistent frequency, and strong student relationships, translates fully to the virtual setting. For rural students who have historically had little access to high-quality tutoring, virtual delivery doesn’t just match in-person results. It removes the barriers that kept those results out of reach in the first place.

  • OpenLiteracy serves students in grades K-6. We do not recommend virtual tutoring for students during the first half of the kindergarten year.