USC ReadersPlus is a literacy and math tutoring program under the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The program is administered by the Joint Educational Project and funded in part through the Good Neighbor's Campaign.

“What makes USC ReadersPlus special is that all participants benefit. The children benefit more than just by improving their literacy level. They also gain self-esteem from the [tutors'] emotional support. The [tutors] benefit not only through the salary (which helps pay for school), but also through the interpersonal interaction with their students. Even more, the program improves the community in which these inner-city children live.” – Raymund Gargantiel, USC Reader 1999-2000

College students like Raymund have been afforded this unique opportunity for the past ten years since President Clinton created the America Reads initiative. Since May of 1997, the USC Readers program has provided tutorial assistance in reading to hundreds of children in Family of Five School classrooms while bringing meaningful work opportunities for work-study students at USC. The program has implemented the twin objectives of President Clinton’s America Reads program—bringing additional funding to higher education and promoting education in communities.

From its inception, the USC Readers program has  continued to place about 100 trained work-study students each semester into the five local schools (Foshay Learning Center, Vermont Avenue School, Norwood Street Elementary, Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, and the 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet). The program has been deemed by local principals as “the best USC program in the community.” In 1999, federal work-study guidelines were extended to offer math education in grades K-12 in addition to the K-6 literacy focus. USC Readers rolled this math component into the established program targeting the Family of Five schools and renamed itself “USC ReadersPlus”.

NOTE: Graduate Student Positions with ReadersPlus are now available! Click Here for more information.

To download the 2013 Undergraduate Readers Plus Application, click here.