Every Child a Reader

High-dosage, one-to-one literacy tutoring for K–5 students who need it most.
School Year Volunteer Tutoring
R2S volunteers provide twice-weekly, one-to-one tutoring to elementary students across Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools — delivering the consistent, relationship-centered support that accelerates foundational reading growth.
Out-of-School-Time Literacy
Learning doesn't stop at the end of the school day. R2S embeds literacy instruction into after-school and summer camp programming near Housing Authority of the City of Asheville sites, ensuring students impacted by systemic barriers receive two to four sessions of targeted reading support each week.
Data-Driven & Student Centered
R2S collaborates with school leadership teams to identify students and uses mClass benchmark data to tailor instruction to each child's specific skill gaps — targeting phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

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"I have been blown away by the growth made this year by my students who worked with R2S tutors. Several made more than a
year's worth of growth and are now on grade level heading into middle school . . . The structure and work of this organization is an integral part of addressing the opportunity gap in Asheville."
- Betts Conti, 5th Grade Teacher, Claxton Elementary School

What R2S Offers

At Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe, we believe literacy is a right, not a privilege. Reading proficiency by third grade is one of the strongest predictors of long-term academic success — yet in Asheville, race-based opportunity gaps mean that Black students and students from economically disadvantaged households are disproportionately impacted by under-resourced systems that weren't built for equity.

R2S's tutoring program was the reason this organization was founded. It remains our flagship initiative — and our most direct investment in building a community where every child is empowered to succeed through reading.

Our model is free to families, grounded in the Science of Reading, and built on the power of sustained, trusting relationships between tutors and students.

How We Match and Support Students and Tutors

R2S tutors come from a variety of backgrounds and expertise, not just education. We provide everything they need to deliver high-quality, skill-targeted instruction with confidence. Before beginning, every volunteer completes a minimum of six hours of foundational training that includes:
  • Science of Reading basics and phonological awareness progression
  • Explicit and systematic phonics instruction aligned to school curricula
  • Reading comprehension frameworks, including Scarborough's Reading Rope
  • Culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices
  • Behavior support strategies for one-to-one settings
Beyond onboarding, tutors receive ongoing coaching and observation, lesson planning guidance based on student mClass data, access to decodable texts and diverse instructional materials, and continued professional learning through quarterly Tutor Huddles (plus regular appreciation events that recognize their commitment to students and community!)

What Students & Schools Receive

R2S tutoring is embedded within school partnerships, not layered on top of them. Students served by R2S benefit from:
  • Twice-weekly, one-to-one tutoring before, during, or after school
  • Instruction explicitly targeted to each student's foundational skill gaps
  • A consistent, caring adult relationship that builds reading confidence and positive experiences with reading
  • Summer programming at HACA community sites that sustains momentum year-round
  • Alignment with classroom instruction through direct collaboration with school teams
In the 2024–2025 school year, 67% of participating students demonstrated average or above-average growth on mClass foundational reading measures, and 70% showed growth in reading overall. These are not just data points — they reflect what becomes possible when communities invest in children with consistency and care.
Interested in volunteering as a reading tutor?