St. Cloud Area Facing Tutor Shortage

ST. CLOUD -- St. Cloud area schools are facing a shortage of tutors for children who need them.

The Minnesota Reading and Math Corps are trying to fill the gap in kid's education by filling 20 tutoring positions in St. Cloud.

Abby Fragodt is a recruiter for the Reading and Math Corps. She says the tutor positions do come with some benefits.

"We do offer a living allowance which is like a paycheck, that's every two weeks, they receive an education stipend at the end of their service, which can be used to pay off student loans or continue their own education, or if you're 55 plus you can transfer that to your children or grandchildren."

She adds, while they can't pay as well as some other organizations, the experience the tutor's get is a rich reward.

" We may not be able to compete with the salaries of other positions, but seeing that light-bulb go off in the kid's eyes, seeing them want to come back to them each and everyday and inspire that love for learning really is a huge benefit in and of itself and something they can carry with them the rest of their lives."

Full and three-quarter time tutors can also receive health insurance through the corps.

The Reading and Math Corp estimates around 20 reading and math tutors are needed for the new school year.

To qualify for the position you just need to be 18 or older, and have either a high school diploma or GED. Fragodt says some of the schools in need are Lincoln Elementary, Westwood and Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph.