Those who join Michigan Education Corps are a member of an AmeriCorps service program, and are not entering into permanent employment. In exchange for service, interventionists will receive a competitive living stipend that is dispersed into bi-weekly payments for the term of service. When members have successfully completed service, they qualify for an Education Award of up to $4,441.50. An interventionist commits to serving up to 10 months as an AmeriCorps member with Michigan Education Corps, depending on which position is chosen.

• Provide language, literacy and math rich supplemental instruction through partnerships with preschools, elementary schools and middle schools. The type of instruction provided is dependent on the program (Early Learning, K-3 or Math).
• Provide supplemental reading or math interventions as needed to individual or small groups (2-3) of children. The duration and method of intervention is dependent on the program. Members serve students in-person and virtually.
• Collect benchmark data to determine which children are eligible for Michigan Education Corps services.
• Utilize student assessments provided by MEC/Reading Corps/Math Corps.
• Receive on-going support from an Internal Coach.
• Use research-based interventions with provided age/grade and content appropriate materials.
• Regularly monitor progress to inform instruction.
• Serve everyday through their service site for the school year, weekly hour requirements depend on service term.
• Come from a variety of backgrounds – recent graduates, stay-at-home parents, retirees, etc.

Yes, this is not an exhaustive list, however, here are some things that our interventionists do not do:

• Supplant, or replace, services provided by the school or site employees
• Conduct other duties that are required for school staff, e.g., lunch duty or playground duty, or other non-literacy/Early Learning/Reading Corps/Math Corps tasks throughout the school day.
• Use student assessments provided by the school.
• Work with very low performing students who need the help of a trained, licensed teacher.
• Use other school-based interventions or create their own lesson plans.
• Decide what intervention is best for a student.
• Guess how a student is progressing and responding to an intervention.
• Determine when an intervention change is needed or when to exit a student (coaches do this).
• Have flexibility in their schedule for when they want to show up at the school or leave for the day.

Interventionists who serve in a full time capacity serve between 32 to 40 hours per week, and interventionists who are in a part-time role serve between 20-28 hours per week. The exact weekly commitment depends on a variety of factors including when the interventionist begins their service term and the total number of hours required for the service term.

MEC serves over 50 schools across the state. Schools that currently partner with MEC are located in Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Belding, Boyne City, Cedar Springs, Decatur, Detroit, Ferndale, Flint, Fruitport, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Harper Woods, Kent City, Kentwood, Lansing, Lowell, Mount Pleasant, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, Portland, Redford, Vicksburg, Ypsilanti and Zeeland. Future expansion will include additional districts in Michigan.

Those eligible for Michigan Education Corps must be 18 years of age by the start of the program, must be either a U.S. Citizen, National or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien, pass mandatory pre-service background checks, and have a desire to serve children and help them succeed.

You can find MEC alumni serving in a number of capacities after gaining resume-building skills, professional experience and networking throughout their service term. MEC alumni can be found working for the school/district they had served in, working as program staff for community programs or non-profit organizations, using their education award to take classes or earn a degree (Associates/Bachelors/Masters/Ph.D.) in higher education or creating their own unique life, education and career paths!

Yes. There are several credit-bearing and credentialing opportunities. Some of these opportunities are specifically designed for students in teacher prep programs while others are designed to support individuals who are interested in working in the education field.

PreK Reading Corps Interventionists can earn almost all their hours towards their Child Development Associates credential while serving with MEC. This credential allows future employment opportunities as an assistant teacher in federal and state funded preschool programs and as a lead teacher in private preschool classrooms.

In the 2021-2022 school year, MEC in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will offer the MiSAYD (Michigan School Age Youth Development) credential to any interventionist serving in K-3 Reading Corps and MEC Math Corps. This credential will help prepare individuals to work with school-age youth and provide developmentally appropriate support.

Further, MEC interventionists are invited to apply to Davenport University to complete the Graduate Certificate of Urban Education and the Master of Urban Education programs. MEC service provides a tuition reduction through a combination of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award and Davenport partnership tuition grants. More information can be obtained from Dr. Susan Gunn, Dean of the College of Urban Education; sgunn3@davenport.edu.

You can learn more about Michigan Education Corps’ Tutor-to-Teacher pipeline here.

Yes. Many MEC members apply to return to service after their first year! In fact, several MEC members have served three or four terms of service. MEC recognizes the value of the service experience, skills and relationships with students, families and school administration that members build over their service term. Lead Literacy Interventionist positions are exclusively offered to applicants who have successfully completed at least one previous service term with MEC. Lead Interventionists are provided additional financial and professional development benefits throughout their service term. MEC members are welcomed and encouraged to apply for additional service terms with MEC or another AmeriCorps program of their interest. An individual can complete up to 4 service terms with AmeriCorps State/National programs and must reapply each term.

All Interventionists attend 4-10 full days of training before starting service. Additional training days are scheduled throughout the service term. MEC’s Training Institute is hosted virtually using a combination of live Zoom sessions and asynchronous modules on a Learning Management System. Training sessions will provide members with everything they need to know about being an AmeriCorps member, and how to deliver the intervention program with MEC. MEC covers all costs associated with training including member gear and program materials. Mileage and lodging are included when applicable. In addition, members receive on-going, frequent instructional coaching and support from MEC staff throughout the duration of the service term.

There are two types of on-going instructional support provided to MEC members throughout the duration of their service. First, an Internal Coach is a school staff person assigned to provide interventionist and program support at the school level for 6-9 hours per interventionist per month. Specifically, the Internal Coach will

– Provide on-site oversight and support to the interventionist
– Welcome and orient the interventionist to the school
– Set a schedule for the interventionist
– Ensure fidelity to Reading Corps model
– Observe each interventionist at least twice per month

A Coaching Specialist is a content expert contracted with MEC to provide program support to multiple schools and ensure high fidelity to MEC intervention programs. A Coaching Specialist will

– Provide on-site coaching support to Internal Coach and interventionists
– Ensure fidelity to Reading Corps or Math Corps models
– Support data-based decision making at the school
– Support alignment of Reading Corps or Math Corps within the site’s instructional and intervention contexts

Finally, MEC staff who provide direct support to Interventionists include the AmeriCorps Program Director and AmeriCorps Program Coordinators. These individuals are AmeriCorps content experts and very knowledgeable about the MEC program content. The MEC Program Director and AmeriCorps Program Coordinators will

– Conduct regular site visits with Interventionists
– Support Internal Coaches in interventionist performance issues
– Coordinate training for Interventionists and coaches
– Hold sites accountable to AmeriCorps expectations

During recruitment periods, there are opportunities to attend open houses at the school sites and/or participate in a virtual panel discussion with current members to learn more about MEC’s Reading and Math Corps service opportunities. In the meantime, these videos show what the Early Learning Corps and K-3 Reading Corps and MEC Math Corps programs look like in action:

Direct service is provided daily at the school site. There are regional and state-wide opportunities throughout the service year to interact with MEC AmeriCorps members serving at other schools as well as AmeriCorps members serving in other AmeriCorps programs. For example, the annual Member Celebration brings hundreds of service members to Lansing from all over Michigan.

MEC K-3 Reading Corps Interventionists are placed at an elementary school and provide scripted, evidence-based literacy interventions to children in kindergarten through third grade. Interventions are conducted through one-on-one sessions using scripted, evidence-based interventions to 15-20 kindergarten to third grade children per day. Depending on service site, interventions are conducted in-person or virtually. These interventions work on letter sounds, blending or segmenting, or reading sentences and paragraphs fluently, accurately, and with expression. Once a week, the interventionist will conduct a 1-minute assessment to ensure each student is on track to read at grade level. Interventionists use before and after school time for prep and data entry.

The Early Learning Corps Interventionist is embedded in a classroom of children ages 3 – 5 to develop children’s early literacy skills in preparation for Kindergarten. Interventionists provide scripted activities from the time kids enter the building to the time they leave the building. For example, Interventionists sing songs, help kids learn to write their name, read a book with kids, and work on writing letters and numbers. Interventionists help collect literacy assessment data on students multiple times during the year. Interventionists typically use naptime for prep and data entry. About once a week, Interventionists will implement the family engagement literacy intervention – Talk, Read & Write with Me!

*The number of hours served per week is dependent upon the service term selected.

MEC Math Corps Interventionists are placed at elementary or middle schools to provide math interventions to children in fourth through eighth grade. Interventions are conducted with pairs of students using scripted, evidence-based interventions in 30 minute sessions, three days per week. Depending on the need, pairs work on number sense, pre-algebra concepts, geometry, or math fact fluency with the goal of ensuring all kids are on track to be Algebra ready by ninth grade. Interventionists use white boards, manipulatives, and other materials to facilitate scripted lessons. Depending on service site, interventions are conducted in-person or virtually. Periodically, Interventionists conduct assessments to ensure each student is on track. Time for prep and data entry are built into the schedule.

No, MEC members and literacy/math interventionists are the same. Michigan Education Corps is an AmeriCorps program, which means that if you serve with us, you are an AmeriCorps member. The AmeriCorps members who serve in our program are called Reading Corps/MEC Math Corps interventionists, depending on what role you serve in.

Children scoring “below target” on benchmark assessments administered by interventionists are eligible to receive services. These students need reading skill practice rather than intensive reading instruction. Students receiving special education or English Language services are eligible on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the Internal Coach in collaboration with school staff.