Blueprint Schools Network Seeking To Hire Math Fellows To Work In Urban Turnaround Schools Across The U.S.

BOSTON, Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueprint Schools Network, Inc., a Boston-based national education organization that partners with urban school districts to close the achievement gap in their lowest performing schools, is recruiting full-time paid math tutors (Fellows) from across the nation to join the Blueprint Fellows Program, a pioneering model of small group instruction designed to improve student learning.

Blueprint Fellows commit to one year working in an urban public school district.  Fellows work with small groups of two to three students in elementary, middle, or high school, tutoring them in math during daily one-hour sessions. The sessions are designed to supplement students' regular math classes, and to provide additional intensive instruction in this critical core subject.

The Blueprint Fellows Program currently operates in high-needs schools in Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas. In Denver last year, schools that implemented the Blueprint model soared to rank among the top 13 percent in math proficiency in the entire state of Colorado.  Other notable achievement gains included:

• All grades in all schools outperformed Denver Public Schools' average in percentage point gain for students scoring either proficient or advanced in math.
• Four out of six secondary schools Blueprint worked with ranked in the top 5% of the state for student growth in math.
• The Scholastic Math Inventory showed the number of students scoring Unsatisfactory decreased by 60.6% and 49.7% of students scored Proficient or Advanced (29.1% and 20.7% respectively), a combined increase of 447.8% from the beginning of the year.  

The success in Denver and elsewhere in the country is driving the program's rapid expansion, fueling the need for extensive recruitment in the coming months.

Matt Spengler, Blueprint's Executive Director, said the next class of Blueprint Fellows will have a unique opportunity to accelerate the achievement of students in struggling schools as part of a rapidly expanding program.  Fellows will not only work to build upon the celebrated gains made in Denver, but also will help disseminate and expand the Fellows program to other urban public school districts around the country.

"The intensive tutoring that our Fellows provide is one of the most effective ways to systematically help students 'catch up' in core subject areas. We have seen the Blueprint model change the trajectory of students' academic careers," Spengler said. "The Blueprint Fellows Program is a chance to be part of actually closing the achievement gap, on a macro level, and on a more important personal level, changing the outlook for a kid's future."

The Fellows Program is one of Blueprint's five key strategies for school turnaround:

1. Excellence in Leadership and Instruction
2. Daily Tutoring in Critical Growth Years
3. Increased Instructional Time
4. A Culture of High Expectations
5. Use of Data from Frequent Assessments to Improve Instruction

Fellows receive up to $25,000 for their full-time commitment plus benefits. Successful fellows may apply to continue for a second year; others may choose to pursue teaching careers or will continue into other fields. 

Blueprint Schools currently is recruiting recent college graduates, individuals seeking career transitions and others for the 2013-2014 school year. Applicants who pass the initial screening process are interviewed by phone. Final interviews with individual schools are conducted over Skype or in person.

There are three rounds of recruiting. Application deadlines: February 1, April 5, and June 10. For more information or to apply: www.blueprintschools.org or learn more at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwGM-f3NSwA.

SOURCE Blueprint Schools Network, Inc.